Jon Gray’s Return Forces Roster Shakeup for Rangers
Jon Gray’s long-awaited return from injury came early in the 2025 season, but it has taken months for him to finally be activated. With his return, the Rangers were forced to make a tough roster decision, as there’s little room for dead weight on any MLB 40-man roster.
The move: Texas activated Gray from the 60-day injured list and designated veteran reliever Luke Jackson for assignment.
Jackson’s journey with Texas has been an unpredictable one. Originally drafted by the Rangers, he surprisingly resurfaced this spring and was quickly given the closer role. However, after some early success, his performance declined sharply. Since then, the Rangers have rotated the ninth inning duties based on matchups and whoever had the hot hand.
This move was expected, as several players—including Gray, Joc Pederson, and Josh Sborz—were nearing their returns from the injured list. While the timing is tricky with the trade deadline approaching, fans are thrilled to see reinforcements arriving just as the Rangers aim to make a postseason push.
Gray, who was struck by a line drive earlier this year, appears to be fully healthy with no limitations. While he’s traditionally preferred to start, he showed willingness to pitch out of the bullpen during the 2023 World Series. This time around, he’s expected to take on a hybrid relief role, much like Jacob Latz, though he’s currently being slotted into the bullpen full-time.
With multiple players on rehab assignments and more reinforcements on the way, the Rangers are getting healthy at the perfect time. The real question now: how will these returning players factor into Chris Young’s trade deadline strategy?
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