This is one in a series breaking down players on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster.
Paul Skenes wasn’t the only rookie starting pitcher for the Pirates to impress during the 2024 season.
Jared Jones surprisingly broke camp as part of the Opening Day roster and made 22 starts during his first season in the big leagues. The right-hander finished the year 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA and struck out 132 batters in 121.2 innings.
But unfortunately for Jones, an elbow injury suffered in spring training robbed him of the chance to build upon his rookie season.
Jones was placed on the injured list as the Pirates departed from spring training to begin the 2025 regular season. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL, and after weighing his options, underwent internal brace surgery in May.
The original timeline for his return was said to be 10-12 months, which would put him back on the mound sometime around the middle of the 2026 season. When Jones last spoke to the media at the end of the season, he had recently started a throwing program and was on track for the original estimate.
Once Jones does re-enter the Pirates’ starting rotation he’ll be one of a handful of promising young arms. As currently projected, Pittsburgh has reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, veteran Mitch Keller, Johan Oviedo, Braxton Ashcraft, Mike Burrows and Bubba Chandler as options for the 2026 rotation.
But the Pirates will surely need more depth, whether due to potential offseason trades, injuries during the season or any other unforeseen circumstances.
When the time comes, the Pirates will be excited to get Jones back onto the PNC Park mound as Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” blares over the stadium’s speakers when he trots out. And the ever-competitive Jones will be equally as thrilled to get back into meaningful games.
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