Pirates Get Great Injury News on Jared Jones
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates feared they may not have Jared Jones for the forseeable future, but they ended getting much better news than expected.
Jones departed his most recent start vs. the Colorado Rockies in the series finale at Coors Field on June 21, after taking an 87.9 mph line drive off of his throwing elbow from first baseman TJ Rumfield.
The Pirates gave an update on their right-handed starting pitcher saying that the initial images of Jones' elbow came back negative and that they would reexamine Jones when they get back to Pittsburgh.
It's great news for the Pirates and Jones, who could've had another bad break when it comes to his health.
Jared Jones Relieved After Imaging Results
The images coming back negative is always a good sign for a player, although that doesn't mean that Jones is completely fine, it does mean he's avoided a serious injury for now.
He had only just returned less than a month prior after a year prior undergoing internal brace surgery on that right elbow (UCL),
Jones was furious after the incident, showing his frustrations with some "choice words", as he put it postgame, but was relieved with the results.
"It doesn't feel great, but kind of best case scenario that nothing's too messed up in there," Jones said. "I feel like a little overdramatic, but getting hit in the elbow five starts coming off surgery kind of pisses me off. But yeah, everything's fine."
This was the fifth start for Jones since returning to the Pirates on May 29, taking over in the starting rotation after missing all of 2025, following a promising rookie campaign in 2024.
Jones has a 5.75 ERA over 20.1 innings pitched, with 21 strikeouts, a .280 batting average allowed and a 1.52 WHIP since making his return.
What This Means for Jones Going Forward
The Pirates will obvious be encouraged with the initial x-rays coming back negative, but they still will have to wait before giving Jones the full go.
Jones will likely undergo an MRI/CT scan when he comes back to Pittsburgh and with close to or more than 24 hours following his injury, the Pirates will have a better idea of what he's dealing with.
Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz had his initial x-rays turn up negative, before three days later undergoing the MRI/CT scan that showed his left hand fracture he sustained from sliding into home plate.
Jones did avoid hitting a different part of his elbow, which could've broken it, but that further imaging will either confirm the Pirates' original findings, or they'll discover something they hope they don't about their starter.
"Yeah definitely. Just told if it was any lower and hit the bone, probably would've shattered, but thankfully I'm so tall and all that stuff, that it got me in the good part," Jones said."
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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.