Why did Kenley Jansen want to cry after Alex Cora's speech? Red Sox pitcher reveals emotional meeting cleared the air about Astros cheating scandal

2017 represented the best year of star closer Kenley Jansen's career. A member of the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time, Jansen went 5-0, compiling an ERA of just 1.32, and leading the league in saves with 41 of them.

On account of the stellar year, Jansen was named to his second All-Star team, and also finished fifth in Cy Young voting. However, more importantly, his play helped the Dodgers to reach their first World Series since 1988.

However, the team would ultimately be unsuccessful, falling to the Houston Astros in seven games. In 2019, an MLB investigation concluded that the Astros were using dishonest tactics, such as banging a garbage bin in the outfield, to steal signs.

While no Astros players were suspended, field manager AJ Hinch, as well as bench coach Alex Cora, were both handed down suspensions for the duration of the 2020 season on account of the Astros' doings.

""But to me, I feel like we are the true champions in 2017. It should be us, we got cheated." @ Kenley Jansen 74" - ESPN Los Angeles

In 2023, Kenley Jansen signed a two-year contract worth $32 million with the Boston Red Sox. Cora, who has been on the opposite side of the 2017 World Series, has served as Boston's manager since 2020, when his suspension ended.

In a recent interview for WEEI.com, Kenley Jansen described the whirlwind of emotion that he felt coming to play for Cora. According to the Curacaoan, he felt as though the dishonesty of Cora's Houston Astros marred the best season of his career. However, the 35-year-old also revealed that Cora called a meeting with him to apologize, which moved Kenley Jansen, who said:

"I just felt like I wanted to cry at that moment when he said that, it just felt like a weight came off, for him to step and say we f**ked up as a whole group. Because I felt like that was the best season I ever had in my whole career because I dominated the whole year, dominated the playoffs and the Houston Astros were the only ones who put the ball in play."

The intimate meeting took place during the 2023 Red Sox spring training in Florida. According to sources, Sox players Justin Turner and Kiki Hernandez, teammates of Jansen's on the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers, were also present.

At least Kenley Jansen got to win a World Series in the end

At 36, Kenley Jansen is not getting any younger. As such, he should be able to take solace in the fact that, at least, he was able to win the 2020 World Series with the Dodgers, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays. While 2017 remains a dark spot on the name of baseball, he, and everyone else, is better off leaving it in the past, and pushing forward.