Pirates Injury Update (5/1/25): Jared Jones, Nick Gonzales, Johan Oviedo

Emma Lingan

Tampa Bay Rays v Pittsburgh Pirates / Justin Berl/GettyImages

After a disappointing April that left Pittsburgh Pirates fans desperate for some good news, they finally got some: Jared Jones is throwing a baseball again.

The right-handed starting pitcher, who has been sidelined for the past six weeks with a UCL sprain in his throwing elbow, was cleared for throwing activity and has already played catch at 45 feet twice, per Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

It will likely be three to four weeks before Jones begins throwing off a mound, but the fact that he is throwing at all marks a significant step in his recovery. His estimated timeline to return to the Majors is 12 weeks, which likely means he won't slot back into the Pirates' starting rotation until after the All-Star break.

Pirates Injury Update (5/1/25): Nick Gonzales, Johan Oviedo, Spencer Horwitz, Endy Rodriguez

Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales, who has been sidelined since Opening Day with a left ankle fracture, has graduated from a walking boot to an ankle brace. He is already throwing, hitting and fielding ground balls, and he will likely begin jogging by the end of the week.

Right-hander Johan Oviedo is continuing his rehab from a right lat strain at the Pirates' facility in Bradenton, Fla. He is throwing from distances up to 90 feet without issue, which is a positive sign. Fellow right-hander Dauri Moreta, now 13 months removed from Tommy John surgery, began a rehab assignment with Single-A Bradenton this week and has pitched in two games without issue.

Speaking of rehab assignments, first baseman Spencer Horwitz – who underwent offseason wrist surgery – began his this week with Double-A Altoona. He has appeared in two games, going 1-for-4 with a pair of walks, and he will likely play in a few more games before transitioning to Triple-A Indianapolis for the remainder of his assignment.

Finally, catcher Endy Rodriguez is continuing to recover from a right index finger laceration just above his knuckle and will need to immobilize his finger for another week to give the skin time to heal before he can resume baseball activity.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). She is also a credentialed NHL reporter and a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. You can follow her @Emma Lingan on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.