Pirates Get Bad News on Jared Jones Injury
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates may not have one of their star pitchers back for the forseeable future.
Pittsburgh right-handed pitcher Jared Jones experienced elbow discomfort following a bullpen session and missed his final Spring Training start. Manager Derek Shelton still hasn't given an update on the injury and that the team wanted a more thorough examination
Pirates play-by-play commentator Greg Brown spoke to Andrew Filliponi on 93.7 The Fan and said that Jones' injury isn't good and that it might takes some time for him to return.
Shelton did name right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski as the team's fifth starter, in terms of number not place in rotation, moving him from the bullpen.
This likely gives the Pirates a starting rotation of right-handed pitchers in reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, who will start opening day, and Mitch Keller, plus left-handed pitchers in Bailey Faler and Andrew Heaney, who signed a one-year deal for $5.25 million with incentives this offseason.
Jones finished his first full season at the MLB level with a 6-8 record, 22 starts, 4.14 ERA in 121.2 innings pitched, 39 walks to 132 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP.
His final game of the season came in the first game vs. the Yankees on the road, where he pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five hits, two walks, two earned runs and making seven strikeouts on 85 pitches. The Pirates would win 4-2 against the Yankees, thanks to two home runs from Bryan Reynolds.
Jones dealt with a right lat strain, that kept him out from early July to late August from pitching for the Pirates.
He has had high expectations on what he could achieve in 2025, even receiving consideration as a dark horse for the National League Cy Young Award.
The Pirates took Jones in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of La Mirada High School in La Mirada, Calif., near Los Angeles. Jones would choose to sign for $2.2 million over playing for Texas, who he committed to.
Jones spent the 2021 season with the Bradenton Marauders with a 3-6 record in 18 appearances and 15 starts, a 4.64 ERA in 66.0 innings pitched, with 103 strikeouts to 34 walks.
He would pitch with the Greensboro Grasshoppers at High-A in 2022 and then split time between the Altoona Curve in Double-A and the Indianapolis Indians at Triple-A in 2023.
Jones went 1-4 in 10 starts with Altoona, with a 2.23 ERA in 44.1 innings pitched, 47 strikeouts to 16 walks and an opposing batting average of .201. He had a 4-5 record in 16 starts in Indianapolis, 4.72 ERA in 82.0 innings pitched, 99 strikeouts to 34 walks and a .240 opposing batting average.
The Pirates start their regular season with a four-game road series vs. the Miami Marlins on March 27.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.