Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones delivers during the second inning of the team’s baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to add a veteran starting pitcher to their roster before the offseason comes to an end.
There are several free agent options available who make sense, including a pair of former Pirates in Tyler Anderson and Jose Quintana.
Pittsburgh’s strength heading into the 2026 season is its starting rotation, which of course is headlined by 2025 National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.
While the addition of a reinforcement to the rotation for the start of the season is a real possibility, the biggest upgrade will likely come during the season.
Jared Jones underwent internal brace surgery on his right elbow in May and missed the entire 2025 season. But the 24-year-old is back pitching from a mound as his rehab process continues and made it abuntantly clear how happy he was to be back throwing with just three words.
“Let’s [expletive] go,” he said.
Jones showed promise during his rookie season in 2024 after cracking the club’s Opening Day roster out of spring training. The right-hander went 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts and struck out 132 batters in 121.2 innings.
From the beginning of his career, it was apparent that Jones pitched with an edge and had some attitude on the mound. Though he’s not facing live batters yet, he’s still finding ways to maintain those traits.
“I’m a pretty big competitor. Right now I’m competing against throwing fastballs in the zone,” he explained. “Every time I don’t do that, I have some choice words for myself. So I haven’t lost that edge yet.”
Before Jones returns to the PNC Park mound, he’ll have to continue to progress to get back to what he was before his injury. During his rookie season, Jones touched triple digits with his four-seam fastball. Though he’s not there yet, getting back to his full velocity is what he has his sights set on as well as filling out the rest of his arsenal.
“Throw harder. Increasing velo,” Jones said when asked what the next steps are. “Mixing in some offspeed pitches every two to three weeks, whatever that is. Just trying to get back to my old self again.”
A year away from baseball can teach a player any number of things. For Jones, the lesson he learned was simple.
“That I missed baseball,” he said. “Sitting on my couch and watching a game is not fun compared to being in the dugout or being the one flinging it.”
When Jones comes back, the team he returns to will look a lot different than the one he pitched for in 2024 or the one he watched on TV in 2025.
The Pirates have made a number of offseason additions this offseason in hopes of pushing for their first postseason appearance since 2015.
Jones is eager to compete with the old and new faces and do his part to make that happen.
“Sounds like we’re going to win a lot of ball games here soon,” he said.
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