Rangers Activate Jon Gray, Designate Luke Jackson for Assignment

The Texas Rangers made the expected move on Wednesday, activating starting pitcher Jon Gray from the 60-day injured list.

In a bit of a surprise move, the Rangers opted to cut ties with reliever Luke Jackson, who was designated for assignment.

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Texas had been signaling for days that they were hoping to activate Gray by the end of the current series with the Athletics.

Gray has been on the injured list since the start of the season after suffering a right forearm fracture during a spring training game when he was hit by a comebacker.

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Gray pitched his last rehab game on Saturday with Triple-A Round Rock. Against the Las Vegas Aviators, he pitched 3.2 innings. He allowed three hits, one run (earned) and struck out five. He also walked two.

Gray is in the final year of a four-year deal that he signed before the 2022 season. For the most part, Gray has been a back-of-the-rotation right-hander.

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In three seasons with Texas, he is 21-21 with a 4.16 ERA. 72 of his 76 games regular-season games with the Rangers have been starts, as he’s struck out 362 and walked 121 in 387.1 innings.

The Rangers signed Jackson in the offseason, one of several moves made to remake their bullpen. He was a non-roster invitee to spring training, and he impressed the organization enough to make the opening day roster and become the closer for the first month of the season.

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Jackson was 2-5 with a 4.11 ERA in 39 games, with eight saves. Robert Garcia has supplanted Jackson as the closer, though the Rangers have several pitchers with at least one save this season.  

Texas now has seven days to find a trade suitor for Jackson or option him to the minor leagues. Jackson can accept the option or move into free agency.

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