Pirates Rumors: MLB insider provides more info on possible Jared Jones trade

Rumors from the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas sent Pittsburgh Pirates fans into a tailspin, as reports emerged that the club may have been actively shopping starting pitcher Jared Jones on the trade market.

The 23-year-old Jones has been widely regarded as a critical piece of the Pirates' starting rotation in both the present and the future, alongside National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes and top prospect Bubba Chandler. Trading him would feel counterproductive at best, and disastrous at worst for the Pirates.

In what should come as a relief to Pittsburgh fans, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal threw some cold water on the Jones rumors in a Tuesday column for The Athletic (subscription required), saying that the Pirates were "not as willing as they might have been before they sent Luis L. Ortiz to the Cleveland Guardians as part of the package for Spencer Horwitz."

Rosenthal further noted that Jones is under club control for five more seasons and is an important piece of the young, dominant rotation that Pittsburgh has worked to build over the past several years. However, Rosenthal reported that Pittsburgh, like the Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and other teams with similar payrolls, "intends to stay open-minded on all possibilities."

Pirates Rumors: MLB insider provides more info on possible Jared Jones trade

Rosenthal proceeded to offer some food for thought. The Guardians, Rays and Brewers have all been more competitive than the Pirates in recent years. They have also improved primarily through trades, rather than free agency.

"The soaring price of free-agent pitching might prompt clubs to make aggressive trade offers for younger, cheaper starters," he said. "So, if a team offered the Pirates a hitter of comparable talent and service to Jones, it might be something they consider — or, at least, should."

So, at the end of the day, maybe trading Jones for an elite bat wouldn't necessarily be the worst thing? Of course, that's assuming that the Pirates' front office is capable of making shrewd deals, which feels like an overestimation at this point. On that note, let's assume that Jones sticking around is the best outcome here.

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