The veteran reliever returns to the organization who drafted him out of high school.
Luke Jackson’s second tour of duty with the Atlanta Braves has officially come to an end as the right-handed reliever has agreed to a major league deal with the Texas Rangers, the organization who drafted him in the first round out of high school in 2010.
Jackson was traded by the Rangers to the Braves in 2016 and debuted for Atlanta in 2017. After a roller-coaster first couple of seasons with the Braves, he established himself as a viable late-inning reliever when he surprisingly picked up 18 saves in 2019. He struggled in the COVID-shortened 2020 season before returning to a form closer to his 2019-self in 2021.
After missing the 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery, Jackson signed with the San Francisco Giants and pitched with them until returning to Atlanta as part of the deal that also returned Jorge Soler to Atlanta last Summer.
After initially struggling after his second trade to Atlanta, Jackson finished the season strong, allowing only one earned run in his last eight appearances while striking out 13 batters.
Although a 2025 Braves return was a long-shot, Atlanta’s lack of major league contract additions in the bullpen left the door cracked, albeit just slightly. With the Rangers, he will look to bolster a bullpen the lost, among others, former Brave Kirby Yates. He will be joined by two more former Braves – Chris Martin and Jacob Webb – who also inked deals with Texas.
During six seasons with Atlanta, Jackson appeared in 254 games, averaging and even 10 strikeouts per nine innings pitched while picking up 19 saves and and garnering 2.8 fWAR.