Pirates’ Jared Jones ‘Extremely Grateful to Be Back’ After Long Recovery
PITTSBURGH – PITTSBURGH – Almost exactly 12 months after undergoing internal brace surgery on his right elbow, Jared Jones is returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Jones will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Friday’s game against the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park. It will be his first time back on a big-league mound since his last start of the 2024 season against the Yankees in New York on Sep. 27 and his first time pitching at PNC Park since the 15th of the same month.
“Pretty damn cool. It took a lot of time,” Jones said when asked what it feels like to be back. “You kind of get a sense, it’s like you need it. That’s kind of what I’ve learned about myself over that time. I’m just extremely grateful to be back.”
Jones was originally injured during spring training last year. He began the year on the injured list before undergoing season-ending surgery on May 21.
Jones didn’t get back into a game until he made his first rehab start with the Bradenton Marauders on April 29. The rehab assignment lasted nearly a month and included stops with Bradenton, Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.
Combined between the three levels, Jones posted a 2.89 ERA. He totaled 18.2 innings, allowed six runs on 13 hits, walked six and struck out 24.
“I feel like the way I’ve recovered and how my stuff’s been, it’s been pretty easy,” Jones said.
But long before his rehab assignment began, there was plenty of behind-the-scenes work needed to put himself in position to return to competitive games.
Jones is appreciative of every step along the way.
“It’s been a tough road to get back here. Now that I’m here I wouldn’t change it for the world. Pretty cool to be back.”
Jones steps back into a starting rotation that ranks sixth in baseball entering Thursday night’s game with a 3.58 ERA. Jones will be accompanied by Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Mitch Keller and Bubba Chandler. Carmen Mlodzinski will shift to the bullpen after beginning the year in the rotation.
“A lot of really good pitchers on this staff and it’s going to be fun to be a part of it,” said Jones.
The Pirates are excited to get Jones back to see how he builds on a rookie season in which he finished 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 121.2 innings across 22 starts.
In addition to what the back of his baseball card shows, Jones featured a fastball capable of reaching 100 mph and a wipeout slider as part of a four-pitch mix. He also wore his emotions on his sleeve and displayed a competitive fire every time he took the mound.
“It’s electric, the arsenal that he’s got, the competitor that he is,” manager Don Kelly said. “I know it’s a long journey for him. Looking back on that, it seems like a long time ago for me; I can’t imagine what it feels for him. But for him to be in a position to be out there tomorrow night is going to be a lot of fun.”
Will Jones be the same pitcher he was as a rookie two years ago?
“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” he said with a smirk.
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