Pirates Recap: Jones Pitches Well, Bednar and Bullpen Get Pummeled by Twins

Jared Jones was the lone bright spot for the Pittsburgh Pirates in an ugly 15-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday afternoon in Fort Myers.

In his fourth start in the Grapefruit League, Jones allowed just one run on three hits and a pair of walks across a spring-high 4.1 innings pitched. The right-hander struck out four batters including punching out the side in order in the fourth.

So far on the spring, Jones has allowed three runs on eight hits in 12 innings pitched. He’s walked six, struck out 17 and has held opponents to a lowly .190 batting average.

Bednar’s Rough Outing Highlight Bullpen Woes

While Jones was effective, the Pirates’ bullpen was not in the loss. Four of the five relievers used in the game were charged with at least one earned run.

Closer David Bednar, who had allowed just one run in his first four innings of the spring, had the worst outing of anyone. He allowed five runs on three hits and a pair of walks and only recorded one out.

How Bednar responds to his disastrous relief appearance will be important. The Pirates are counting on a bounce-back season from the two-time All-Star in 2025 — a season that begins in two weeks in Miami.

Notable Pirates’ Performances

• Jared Jones: 4.1 innings, three hits, one run, two walks, four strikeouts
• David Bednar: 0.1 inning, three hits, five runs, two walks, no strikeouts
• Dennis Santana: 1.0 inning, one hit, one run, one walk, no strikeouts
• Tim Mayza: 1.0 inning, no hits, no runs, no walks, one strikeout
• Darick Hall: 1 for 1, one home run, two RBIs, one run
• Matt Gorski: 1 for 1, one home run, one RBI, one run

Two games on the schedule for Friday. The Pirates (10-9) will host the Detroit Tigers in Grapefruit League play at 6:05 ET. Additionally, prospects from the Pirates will face prospects from the Philadelphia Phillies at 1:05 ET in the Spring Breakout game.