Twins Add Veteran Reliever Jay Jackson to Already-Full Bullpen – Twins

The Twins are already projected to have one of the top bullpens in baseball heading into the 2024 season. On Sunday night, news broke that, pending physical, the Twins have agreed to terms with veteran Jay Jackson.

Last season with the Blue Jays, Jackson went 3-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 25 games and 29 2/3 innings. He had a 0.91 WHIP. He had signed a minor-league deal with the Jays, but was released just before the season started. He stayed with Toronto and spent a good chunk of the season in the majors, but was designated for assignment Oct. 1. 

Jackson pitched in two games for the Braves in 2022. He missed missed three months with a lat strain and was then optioned. He worked in 23 games for the Giants in 2021. In late August 2020, he signed with the Reds and was on their 60-man player pool. He pitched for Chiba Lotte in Japan earlier in 2020, but he was arrested on suspicion of cannabis possession and released.. In 2019, he worked in 28 games for the Brewers. Before that, his only big-league experience came in 2015 when he pitched in six games for the Padres. From 2016-2018, he pitched for Hiroshima. 

Jackson’s fastball sits at an average of 93.3 mph, but he only threw it 40% of the time. 60% of his pitches are sliders at about 85 mph. Is it possible that we have another Matt Wisler on our hands? Could the Twins brass tell him to literally just throw sliders 90 percent of the time and see what happens? 

Here is a quick look at the Twins bullpen, with spring training set to begin soon (assuming health):
The Givens: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Brock Stewart, Justin Topa. 
The 40-man options: Jorge Alcala, Jordan Balazovic, Daniel Duarte, Kody Funderburk, Brent Headrick, Jackson, Cole Sands, Josh Staumont, Louie Varland, Josh Winder. 

40-Man Roster Spots
Obviously Jackson, and Carlos Santana, will need to pass physicals, and when they do, two players will need to be removed from the 40-man roster. 

This is the kind of deal that requires no grand conclusions or recriminations. It’ll cost the Twins just about $250,000 more than the league minimum to add Jackson to the mix, protecting themselves from the impact of possible or lingering injuries to any of (especially) Stewart, Alcalá, Balazovic, or Staumont. He’s well-traveled, and has been viewed as a positive clubhouse presence at several stops. He might not have relief ace upside, but he has that slider, and no one can ever have too much pitching.