It might be cruel to get satisfaction out of someone else’s misery. But when that someone else is a Yankees fan and that misery is their collective hearts breaking because they have now lost five in a row, the last two to the Rangers, and are in danger of not making the playoffs, it’s okay to feel satisfaction.

Because it’s good to know that other teams have a Luke Jackson. The Yankees Luke Jackson is Devon Williams, the Yankees soon to not be closer who came to New York in an offseason trade with a lot of promise and had hit the wall with a thud. Again.

Williams was the Brewers reliever who, in 2021, after Milwaukee clinched a playoff spot, got drunk, punched a wall, and broke his hand, thus adding to the running total: Walls 1,000,000, Athletes Punching Walls 0.

Since coming to the Yankees, Williams has put up an ERA of 5.44 and has earned the wrath of Yankees fans. He is as beloved by them as Luke Jackson was by us. In his last three outings, he has had two consecutive blown saves and last night’s loss. 

Rangers fans are all too familiar with a closer like that. After Luke Jackson, Robert Garcia stepped in to blow his share of games. Maybe the tide is turning, though. After Bruce Bochy declared Garcia was his closer and then Garcia promptly going out and blowing a save, he has used other relievers in key spots. Phil Maton’s effort last night to earn his first save as a Ranger and Luis Curvelo’s closing work in Seattle might give the Rangers hope that they might have a closer. Could also be Danny Coulombe.

The Rangers go into today’s game without Luke Jackson, with a possible closer after nearly 120 games, and with the potential to sweep the Yankees, who are coming off getting swept by the Marlins for the first time in their history. A win by the Rangers would leapfrog them over the Yankees and into the third wildcard spot. 

Rangers fans everywhere are hoping if the game is on the line today, the Yankees call on their Luke Jackson. It’s about time we faced one of those ourselves. 

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