Headlines

  • Anthony Volpe Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
  • Alex Bregman Will Opt Out Of Red Sox Contract
  • Mike Shildt Steps Down As Padres Manager
  • Tigers Extended Manager A.J. Hinch Earlier This Season
  • Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason
  • Cody Bellinger To Opt Out Of Contract With Yankees
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Luke Jackson Elects Free Agency

By Darragh McDonald | August 10, 2025 at 6:03pm CDT

Aug. 10: Jackson cleared waivers and has chosen to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo, as per Jackson’s MLB.com profile page.  Because Jackson has previously been outrighted in his career, he had the right to opt for free agency.

Aug. 8: The Tigers have recalled right-hander Codi Heuer from Triple-A Toledo, with fellow righty Luke Jackson designated for assignment. The moves haven’t been officially announced but Craig McCosky of Detroit News was among the reporters to relay them.

The Tigers picked up Jackson a couple of weeks ago after he had been released by the Rangers. He had been having a rough season in Texas but has a good track record, so the Tigers scooped him up, hoping for a bounceback.

Unfortunately, they didn’t get it. He tossed 4 2/3 innings for Detroit, allowing four earned runs via three hits and five walks while striking out four. Combined with his results with the Rangers, he has a 4.54 earned run average in 39 2/3 innings this year. His 52.5% ground ball rate is good but his 16.1% strikeout rate and 13.8% walk rate are both noticeably worse than league average.

Despite the rough numbers, he might get another shot somewhere. The Rangers are still on the hook for the remainder his $1.5MM salary. That means another club could sign Jackson and would only have to pay him the prorated version of the $760K league minimum for any time spent on the roster. That amount would be subtracted from what the Rangers pay.

From 2018 to 2024, Jackson tossed 289 2/3 innings in the majors with a 3.91 ERA. His 10.2% walk rate in that time was a bit high but he punched out 27.1% of batters faced and got opponents to hit the ball into the ground on 54.3% of balls in play.

The punchouts haven’t been there this year, which is why he’s now twice been designated for assignment. But with the trade deadline now passed, it’s harder for clubs to find useful pitching upgrades. Since Jackson has a good track record and would essentially be free, some team might take a shot on him soon.

Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images

Share Repost Send via email

Detroit Tigers Transactions Codi Heuer Luke Jackson

Hunter Greene Slated To Return To Reds’ Rotation On Wednesday
Main
MLBTR Chat Transcript
View Comments (48)
Post a Comment

48 Comments

  1. Well said.

    2 months ago

    I suspected he would be leaving quite soon. If he clears waivers they may try to get him to Toledo or just release him.

    4
    Reply
    • BadMojo

      2 months ago

      How could you have suspected this happening so soon? I expected Fetter, the “best” pitching coach in baseball to earn his title and money and fix this guy.

      Reply
      • Well said.

        2 months ago

        Yes Fetter can do a lot with pitchers. He has to have time to work with them. Luke wasn’t here long enough to really help him. Then all the trades and then there were more new pitchers to help. What hurt Luke was the 5 walks when Detroit was looking for a reliever to come in and throw strikes

        3
        Reply
        • BadMojo

          2 months ago

          Who has he helped?

          Reply
  2. Paleobros

    2 months ago

    Barves please don’t claim

    5
    Reply
    • Skyrider123

      2 months ago

      I don’t think the Braves will after he performed poorly for them last year

      Reply
  3. bag o ballz

    2 months ago

    don’t do it giants

    1
    Reply
    • Busty Poser

      2 months ago

      You know they will.

      Reply
  4. Cave

    2 months ago

    It should say something when two of the three comments (so far) are pleading for their team NOT to acquire them.

    8
    Reply
    • Hammerin' Hank

      2 months ago

      He’s another Joe Kelly. There will always be a place for him on an MLB roster, whether he deserves it or not.

      Reply
    • JuanUribeJazzHands

      2 months ago

      Cave

      “It should say something when two of the three comments (so far) are pleading for their team NOT to acquire them.”

      Yes

      That the average MLBTR commenter is worse than mid.

      2
      Reply
      • Ignorant Son-of-a-b

        2 months ago

        In baseball parlance, you would say the average MLBTR commenter is worse than replacement level

        2
        Reply
  5. Motown is My Town

    2 months ago

    That experiment failed quickly. Hopefully this next one works out better

    1
    Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      2 months ago

      That seems to be Scott Harris’ MO – cycle through castoffs and see where you can fix someone. Every once in a while you get a Tyler Holton or Brenan Hanifee. Most of the time you get another DFA candidate. Let’s see which category Codi Heuer fits into.

      3
      Reply
      • Charles B

        2 months ago

        Maybe Fetter is a little overrated. I mean is success rate with these scrubs is about 10 percent. Most are DFA’d.

        1
        Reply
        • BadMojo

          2 months ago

          Fetter is terrible. Skubal was great before Fetter arrived. And which pitchers actually have improved since he’s joined that team?

          Reply
        • Jubilation

          2 months ago

          Lorenzen was left for dead when the Tigers signed him. Flaherty revived his career in Detroit.

          6
          Reply
        • caltigerfreak

          2 months ago

          Mute this troll

          5
          Reply
        • BadMojo

          2 months ago

          lol

          Reply
        • BadMojo

          2 months ago

          Why didn’t he help Manning, Maeta, Brebbia or Monero? Why don’t the Tigers have minor league pitchers ready to help out?

          1
          Reply
      • BadMojo

        2 months ago

        You think Hilton and Hanifee are good? That’s hilarious.

        Reply
    • BadMojo

      2 months ago

      How could it not? The Tigers have Fetter and a magic wand right?

      Reply
      • Eat'EmUpTigers

        2 months ago

        What’s your infatuation with fetter? How many different variations of the same post are you going to make in the comment section about Luke Jackson ffs.

        5
        Reply
  6. DGINAZ

    2 months ago

    Braves in 3…2…1…

    Reply
  7. davemlaw

    2 months ago

    Darragh just wrote Luke Jackson has a good track record.
    Thanks! I needed a good laugh.
    Farhan Zaidi’s trade of Soler and Jackson for Sabin Ceballos was one of his greatest transactions. Dumped two overpaid players for a decent prospect.

    1
    Reply
  8. ActionDan

    2 months ago

    I would’ve much rather seen Rafael Montero DFA’d first.

    2
    Reply
    • 84LeFlore

      2 months ago

      Wonder how much more of the Rafael Montero experiment there is? Talk about a long shot in the dark.

      1
      Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      2 months ago

      Why pick just one? Unless Harris finds another Schlub on the waiver wife, Montero will be DFA’d on Aug. 17th when Brenan Hanifee is eligible to be recalled.

      Reply
      • BadMojo

        2 months ago

        Do you think Hanifee is really that much better than Montero?

        Reply
      • its_happening

        2 months ago

        Laughed out loud reading waivers wife. Autocorrect knocked that out of the park.

        Reply
    • dkhits20

      2 months ago

      Or Kahnle. In his last 30 games, he’s given up 21 ER in 26.2 innings. Show me someone else on the team who has been that bad for that long and still has his job.

      2
      Reply
      • For Love of the Game

        2 months ago

        Kahnle is fixable if he can stop putting his changeup in the middle of the strike zone!

        1
        Reply
        • BadMojo

          2 months ago

          That’s like me saying I could have been a pro MLB player, if I could throw 103 mph.

          Reply
        • dkhits20

          2 months ago

          He’s had plenty of time to fix this. If the issue started in Apr/May, maybe you could justify keeping him around a little longer, but not in mid Aug. This should also not be the time for reclamation projects. It’s ridiculous that Hanifee is pitching in Toledo right now while we’re throwing all these 6.00 ERA scrubs out there.

          1
          Reply
    • BadMojo

      2 months ago

      Why though?

      Reply
  9. BadMojo

    2 months ago

    Ok then let’s play this game another way, in ten years will anyone remember Jackson had a WS ring? I would be willing to bet that people will still know that I giro and Griffey are in the HOF.

    1
    Reply
    • Hammerin' Hank

      2 months ago

      Being a Hall of Famer trumps being a World Series champion. Being on a championship baseball team involves a lot of luck, and is very dependent upon who your teammates were. Look at Ohtani and Trout on the Angels. They never made it to a World Series, through no fault of their own.

      1
      Reply
    • 84LeFlore

      2 months ago

      Being a Hall of Famer is a better indication of being a great player than being a member of a World Series team, for sure.

      But you can bet every HOF’er in any team sport who didn’t win a title wishes they had won one.

      Reply
  10. McGriff HR

    2 months ago

    Jackson’s 4 runs all came in one inning after he was acquired and they were leading 10-0, after that he put up zeros, 4ip for zero with 3 k’s. Some perspective would be fair.

    3
    Reply
  11. Braves83

    2 months ago

    Yes, very true. A great human being and I hope he gets another shot……

    Reply
  12. bravesfan

    2 months ago

    AA peaking around the corner about to bring him back to the Braves…. Smh lol

    Reply
  13. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    2 months ago

    Mr. FANCY PANTS
    has a system……
    He thinks it works, so he sticks with it.
    It’s not been bad.

    Too bad though, he didn’t continue to build the teams’ future through trading pending Free Agents and middling prospects.

    Being in first place is no excuse!

    Reply
    • The Saber-toothed Superfife

      2 months ago

      Stick with the system.
      Definitely should have traded those pending FA’s.

      Reply
  14. Luke Strong

    2 months ago

    Tigers would have been better off with him than Kahnle- he looks completely shot.

    Reply
  15. gotigers68

    2 months ago

    He should have signed the minor league contract, the way the Tigers revolving door pitching has been lately…

    Reply
  16. Dumpster Divin Theo

    2 months ago

    Free Agency isn’t free! Like freedom fries

    Reply
  17. 84LeFlore

    2 months ago

    Two solid starts in a row for Troy Melton. Kid looks good – not flukey. Nice boost for the depleted rotation.

    Sawyer Gibson Long had a nice relief effort, too, (as did Finnegan & Vest, thankfully). Some may forget, SGL was trending very nicely prior to TJ. He’s a potentially above-average bullpen piece if he can round back into decent shape the next 7 weeks. Prior to his injury, I had him ahead of Mize & Brieske.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Anthony Volpe Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

    Alex Bregman Will Opt Out Of Red Sox Contract

    Mike Shildt Steps Down As Padres Manager

    Tigers Extended Manager A.J. Hinch Earlier This Season

    Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason

    Cody Bellinger To Opt Out Of Contract With Yankees

    Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal

    Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026

    Rangers Hire Skip Schumaker As Manager

    Albert Pujols To Interview For Angels’ Managerial Vacancy, May Be “Leading Choice”

    Bill Schmidt Will Not Return As Rockies’ GM

    Brian Snitker Will Not Return As Braves’ Manager In 2026

    Angels To Have New Manager In 2026

    Rays Sale To Patrick Zalupski’s Group Officially Completed

    Guardians Promote Chase DeLauter For Wild Card Series

    Bruce Bochy Will Not Return As Rangers Manager Amid Financial Uncertainty

    Liam Hendriks Undergoes Ulnar Nerve Transposition Surgery

    Twins Fire Rocco Baldelli

    Giants Fire Bob Melvin

    Pirates Sign Manager Don Kelly To Extension

    Recent

    A.J. Preller Discusses Padres’ Rotation

    Latest On Mike Shildt’s Resignation As Padres Manager

    Diamondbacks Hire J.R. House As Third Base Coach

    Albert Pujols Expected To Interview For Orioles’ Managerial Opening

    Rocco Baldelli Interested In Managing Again

    Devin Williams: Open To Reunion With Yankees

    Nine Players Elect Free Agency

    Twins Claim Ryan Kreidler

    Twins To Interview Nick Punto About Managerial Vacancy

    NPB’s Rakuten Eagles Re-Sign Luke Voit

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version