While Valdez battled injuries, Jackson has battled ineffectiveness. The 24-year-old has a 5.57 ERA in over 300 major league innings. This year is no different as Jackson has had a mix of great starts and clunkers and it has added up to a 4.98 ERA and a 1.490 WHIP.
With his chances at excelling in the rotation looking increasingly slim, why not try him in the bullpen with the goal of grooming him to replace 39-year-old Troy Percival in a year or two?
The Rays lack a closer in waiting, and they have several top pitching prospects to find room for in the next few seasons. There's only so many rotation spots to fill, especially with Scott Kazmir, James Shields, and Matt Garza entrenched in theirs.
Jackson has two pitches—a mid 90s fastball and a wicked slider. If he's able to stop worrying about developing a better third offering, he can focus on the two good ones he already has.
If he can improve his control, he has the stuff to be a good closer.
These three pitchers all have the important intangibles that are required to be a stand-out closer at the major league level. Only time will tell if that's what they become.
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