The Pittsburgh Pirates are having a rough season, sitting in last place in the National League Central with an 18-33 record.
The woes continue, as young right-hander Jared Jones will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right UCL, per ESPN.
Jones, 23, had an excellent start to the 2024 season before teams started to figure him out. He ended his rookie campaign with a 6-8 record with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts. He missed some time with a lat injury.
Jones was reportedly trending in the right direction to make a return at some point this season but faced a setback during long toss last week when he felt discomfort. He is expected to miss 10 to 12 months, but it is unclear if he will pitch next season.
This news comes at a tough time for Pittsburgh, a team that has struggled mightily to begin the 2025 season. The team has had issues with pitching, hitting and defense in a tough NL Central and second-year sensation Paul Skenes has been named in trade rumors for several weeks.
Jones was slotted to be Pittsburgh’s No. 2 starter behind Skenes after he impressed the team last season, but his season was in jeopardy before it even started.
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The team was hopeful Jones would not need surgery but after the setback, senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Jones visited elbow surgeon Dr. Keith Meister and they decided surgery was the best option.
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