Detroit Tigers: Austin Jackson looking to make his return

Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson is hoping to make his return to the majors, as he is making himself available to offers.

At one time, Austin Jackson looked like a possible star for the Detroit Tigers. He possessed an intriguing blend of power and speed, leading the league in triples twice while showing the ability to get on base and cause havoc on the basepaths. However, those days have seemingly long since passed, as he functioned in more of a reserve role over his last three major league seasons.

After failing to get an offer for the 2019 campaign, one could imagine that Jackson had quietly retired. Instead, he is open to making a return to the game, provided a team is interested.

For his first five seasons in the majors, Jackson was a solid player. He produced a .276/.336/.402 batting line, hitting 145 doubles and stealing 89 bases. Jackson had three seasons with 20 or more steals, and reached double digits in homers and triples three times each. Even with some swing and miss issues, he was still able to get on base consistently, a valuable player in the lineup.

After his time with the Tigers, Jackson became a baseball vagabond. He was traded to the Mariners at the 2014 deadline, part of a three team deal that brought David Price to Detroit. The following year, he was traded again, this time to the Cubs for the ever popular player to be named later.

At that point, Jackson became a nomadic figure. He spent a year each with the White Sox and Indians before signing with the Giants in 2018. His tenure in San Francisco lasted for just over five months before he was traded to the Rangers. Jackson never got into a game in Texas, being released six days after he was acquired. The Mets scooped him up for the rest of the year, his last action in the majors.

It is interesting that Jackson is picking this point in time to mention that he is looking to return to the majors. With roster freezes in place and an uncertain start to the season, Jackson could be waiting a long time for an offer that may never come.

Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson is looking to return to the majors. While he was once a valuable piece, there may not be much interest in his services at this point.