Luke Jackson To Opt Out Of Mets Contract

Right-hander Luke Jackson is triggering an opt-out clause in the minor league contract he signed with the Mets in early April, The Athletic’s Will Sammon reports.  Depending on the specific terms of the clause, Jackson may be a free agent immediately, or he could become a free agent if the Mets don’t add him to their active roster within the next few days.

Jackson’s time in the farm system has seen the righty post a 0.00 ERA over three innings at high-A St. Lucie, but then an 11.57 ERA over five games and 4 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse.  Those rough numbers included seven walks against only two strikeouts against Triple-A batters, so it isn’t surprising that New York hasn’t yet felt compelled to call Jackson up to the majors.  Even though the Mets are known for churning through relievers, selecting Jackson’s contract would also require a corresponding 40-man roster move.

A veteran of 10 Major League seasons, Jackson spent the majority (272 of his 409 1/3 career innings) with the Braves, posting a 3.97 ERA over his time in Atlanta’s bullpen.  His best season was in 2021, when Jackson’s 1.98 ERA over 63 2/3 relief innings made him one of many unsung heroes on the Braves’ World Series championship club.

As one might expect for a grounder specialist, Jackson’s performance has tended to wax and wane in relation to his BABIP.  Jackson’s control has always been spotty and his strikeout numbers have fluctuated rather sharply, and evened out at a 23.2% career strikeout rate.  The 2025 season saw Jackson post a 4.06 ERA, 17.4K%, 12.8% walk rate, and 51.7% grounder rate over 51 innings with the Rangers, Tigers, and Mariners, as a .253 BABIP helped Jackson overcome his shaky secondary metrics.

If Jackson doesn’t end up with the Mets and instead becomes a free agent, his track record means that he’ll probably land another minors contract relatively quickly.  The right-hander has played for six different organizations since July 2024, so Jackson is getting quite used to changing teams.