Pirates dealt late rotation blow with ominous elbow injury update

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones will not pitch in his final scheduled start of spring training on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, per a report from Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.

Manager Derek Shelton informed reporters that Jones had experienced elbow discomfort following his most recent bullpen session, which was earlier this week. The severity of Jones' injury and his availability for Opening Day remain unknown at this time, but Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that "conversations will be had about how Jones' 2025 regular season will start."

Jones' most recent Grapefruit League start came last Thursday against the Minnesota Twins, when he pitched in place of scheduled starter Bailey Falter while the left-hander was dealing with "general body soreness." Jones pitched well against Minnesota, surrendering one run on three hits, allowing a pair of walks and striking out four across 4 1/3 innings of work.

Pirates dealt late rotation blow with ominous Jared Jones injury update

Jones was so impressive in spring training last year that he broke camp with the Pirates as a member of their starting rotation. He finished his first full season at the MLB level with a 6-8 record, 22 starts, 4.14 ERA in 121 2/3 innings pitched, 39 walks to 132 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP.

So far this spring, Jones has pitched to an 0-1 record with a 2.25 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 12 innings pitched. The Pirates will undoubtedly want to exercise extreme caution with Jones, who has solidified himself a cornerstone of their rotation, especially after he missed nearly two months last season with a right lat strain.

Prior to Wednesday's announcement, it was expected that Jones would serve as the Pirates' No. 2 starter behind reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes when they open the 2025 season March 27 against the Miami Marlins. Now, it's unclear whether Jones' injury status will impact his availability.

The Pirates will likely wait and see how Jones' elbow responds after a few days' rest before making a decision. If Jones is unable to go by Opening Day, Pittsburgh could turn to one of their prospects – Thomas Harrington, Bubba Chandler or Mike Burrows, to name a few – to backfill the final rotation spot.

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