A former Twins pitcher must pay child support to a woman he met while playing professional baseball in Japan several years ago, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

Randy "Jay" Jackson Jr. argued that Minnesota lacked jurisdiction over the child support agreement reached in Japan. Jackson also pushed back on Minnesota being the proper place for the woman to file her claim because of his brief time living and working in the state while playing for the Twins for a few months in 2024.

The appeals panel handed Jackson the loss on both points, explaining that Hennepin County District Judge Theresa Couri was correct to rule in the woman's favor because the child support judgment is covered in the Minnesota Uniform Interstate Family Support Act despite slight differences in the relevant laws between the state and Japan.

The panel also rejected Jackson's claim that he had not put down roots in Minnesota, writing, "The evidence of Jackson's Minnesota-based employment as a professional athlete and his renting a Minnesota residential unit demonstrates his intent to remain in the state indefinitely."

Jackson signed a $1.75 million contract with the Twins in February 2024. He pitched in 20 games, all in relief, in what would be his final Major League Baseball (MLB) stint and compiled a win-loss record of 1-2 with a 7.52 ERA.

Jackson broke into the majors in 2015 with the San Diego Padres. In six seasons with six teams, he ended his MLB career with a record of 7-4 and a 4.43 ERA.

It was while playing for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 2016 through 2018 that he met Masami Kiya, and their son was born in December 2018.

After the couple's relationship ended, Jackson left Japan alone and resumed his pitching career in 2019 in the United States, where he bounced around the majors until signing with the Twins before the 2024 season. In April of that year, Kiya sought to move her child support claim from Japan to Hennepin County in an effort to collect.

Jackson quickly tried to block the move, but Judge Couri ruled in favor of the mother, who was claiming $106,000 in unpaid child support.

Now that the Court of Appeals has upheld the lower court ruling, Jackson has 30 days to ask the state Supreme Court to hear his side of things.

"I have not had a chance to discuss next steps with my client yet," Jackson's attorney, Victoria Brenner, told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Tuesday. "I will certainly encourage him to consider his options."