Perrotto: Jared Jones Focusing on More Doors in 2025

Ask Jared Jones what he’d like to improve on in his second major-league season and the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander gives a simple answer.

“Blowing more doors,” Jones said.

For the uninitiated, Jones wants to strike out more batters in 2025. That’s an admirable goal because Jones had 132 strikeouts in 121.1 innings as a rookie.

Jones had an up-and-down season, like most rookie pitchers not named Paul Skenes, but he certainly showed a lot of promise while compiling a 6-8 record and 4.14 ERA in 22 starts.

However, Jones also showed he could be dominant. He pitched six scoreless innings against the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, worked five scoreless innings against a New York Mets team that reached the National League Championship Series and allowed only hit and struck out 10 in a seven-inning outing against the Colorado Rockies.

Much like his goals for 2025, Jones’ takeaways from 2024 were simple.

“You know what’s out there now, you’ve been through the gauntlet,” Jones said. “I feel like that’s the best way I can put it. I’ve had a whole year up there to see the ups and the downs. Just trying to make sure the downs aren’t as bad.

“Just being a rookie, just as simple as that. I mean, getting through your rookie season and making the team out of camp and staying up the whole way, I mean it’s fun.”

Jones, though, isn’t satisfied after one season in the major leagues. The La Mirada, Calif., native spent much of the offseason working out at the Pirates’ spring training facility in Bradenton, Fla.
In spring training, Jones has been working on adding a sinking two-seam fastball to his arsenal of pitches. Last season, he threw his four-seam fastball 49.2% of the time while mixing in sliders (34.9%), curveballs (9.3%) and changeups (6.5%).

“Whatever the circumstance is, I’m going to go out there and try and compete for the No. 1 spot, that’s just who I am as a pitcher,” Jones said. “Competing never stops, so I feel like I definitely have more of a chance to break the team than I did last year, but it will be a lot of fun when the ball gets rolling.”

The 23-year-old might never wrest the ace role from Skenes, his close friend and former high school opponent. However, breaking spring training with the Pirates shouldn’t be a problem.

Jones pitched twice in Grapefruit League play and has been solid. In 4.2 innings, he has allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Jones has also shown no residual effects from the strained right lat muscle that sidelined him from July 4-Aug. 26 last season.

“I try to stay pretty consistent with doing what I’m doing and making sure my routine stays the same,” Jones said.

Starting pitching appears to be the Pirates’ strength and the best chance to lift the club into contention following consecutive 76-86 finishes. Jones and Skenes will likely be joined in the rotation by Mitch Keller and left-handers Bailey Falter and Andrew Heaney.

“It’s a fun group to watch, be a part of and just go by our days (to start),” Jone said. “I get to watch five guys, four guys, however many are in our rotation just go out there and compete every day. It’s fun to watch.

Jones showed at times last year that his starts can also be fun to watch, especially when he’s blowing doors.