Washington Nationals: Predicting what their 12 free agents will do
By Drew Douglas
Edwin Jackson
When Joe Ross underwent season-ending Tommy John Surgery in July, the Nats needed a starter who could fill out the back of the rotation for the rest of the season. They did not want to give up the prospects that it would take to acquire Yu Darvish or Justin Verlander at the trade deadline, so they called upon Edwin Jackson.
2017 was Jackson’s second stint with the Nats, as he pitched for them in 2012 as well. Unfortunately, his 2012 season was much more productive than his 2017 season.
After being called up in late-July, Jackson got off to a decent start and appeared to be capable of reliably filling out the rotation. Then, he began to pitch like everyone feared he would. When all was said and done, Jackson pitched to a 5.07 ERA in 13 starts with the Nats.
The Nats have a need for a fifth starter since Ross could potentially miss all of 2018, but Jackson is not the answer. 2018 is a huge year for the Nats, and they must have a more reliable starter than Jackson.
The 34-year-old journeyman can likely find himself a major league job with a rebuilding team, but there is not a spot for him with the Nats. If he returns to the Nats, it will undoubtedly be a minor league contract.