Detroit – Luke Jackson had five matches against the Tigers batsman against Tarik Skubal at Globe Life Field last Sunday night. When Skubal was ready for his next start, he was ready for the comerics at Comerica Park on Saturday, Jackson’s clubhouse in Detroit and available in the bullpen.
The Tigers signed a one-year contract on Saturday two days after the Wanderers released Veterans rescuers. Detroit will owe him the rest of the $1.5 million he owes Jackson this season, and the minimum wage of his minimum wage.
Jackson will fill the bullpen attraction left by Geoff Hartlieb, who was designated as a mission on Saturday after just two outings and two runs. Hartlieb was called on Thursday to replace Carlos Hernández, who was designated as a mission on Thursday.
More bullpen churns are likely to occur next Thursday’s imminent trade deadline. But for the moment, Jackson, 33, will get a shot in search of a role with a competitive team.
The Rangers signed Jackson in February to reunite with their first-round draft pick from the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft (MLB) draft. He became close in the first month of the season, recording eight saves in his first 12 games, while the rest of the bullpen in Texas was injured. After some tough outings, the Rangers went with the council's cowshed, and Jackson returned to his usual role as a setter who could be anywhere from the sixth inning to the end of the game.
Jackson's strikeout rate has dropped sharply this year. His 6.2 K/9 ratio is much lower than his 9.4 career rate. His 22.4% WHIFF rate is 28th percentage point among Major League Baseball pitchers this season, a far cry from the 81st percentile 29.7% rate last season. His sliders are the main course for most of his major league career, with less efficient this season, with a WHIFF rate of 26.5% and an average hourly exit rate of 91.3 miles. His fastball also dropped, but even if it worked, it was more effective.
The Tigers can hope to bring the slider back to the old form, but it may depend on how long Jackson is with them. If Detroit adds multiple rescuers to the trade deadline, the club will have to figure out who throws it down to make room. But for the lowest pay, Jackson is worth a look, especially for mitigators with playoff experience. He was a big part of the Atlanta bullpen in the 2021 World Series before returning to two innings against the Padres during the NL Wild Card series last October.