Pirates Make Roster Move To Free Up Space for Jared Jones
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PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Pirates reshuffled their pitching staff hours before Friday night’s series opener against the Minnesota Twins, announcing the long-awaited return of starting pitcher Jared Jones while designating reliever Justin Lawrence for assignment.
Jones, 23, has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list after the club officially ended his minor league rehab assignment. The hard-throwing right-hander had been sidelined all of last season with elbow surgery, an absence that forced Pittsburgh to lean heavily on an already taxed bullpen and a rotation missing a key arm.
In his last rehab start for Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday, Jones touched 99 mph across 4.1 innings, striking out six and walking just one, signal enough to the Pirates organization that he was close to re-gaining his pre-injury form.
To clear room on both the active and 40-man rosters, the Pirates designated right-hander Justin Lawrence for assignment. Lawrence, 29, was claimed off waivers from Colorado before the 2025 season. He excelled in his limited appearances before injuries ended his season, pitching to a 0.79 ERA. and made only four appearances for Pittsburgh, allowing five earned runs over 4.2 innings (9.64 ERA).
This season has been even more tumultous for Lawrence. His ERA for the season sits at 5.32 over 22 innings pitched. He's struck out 25, while walking 12. According to Baseball Reference, he has a -0.7 Wins Above Replacement this season.
Jones will slot into the rotation immediately, with his first start on Friday against the Twins. He ended the 2024 season as one of baseball’s most promising young arms, posting a 3.56 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 86 innings prior to suffering his injury during 2025's Spring Training. In a related move, the Pirates moved Carmen Mlodzinski to the bullpen.
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Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.