Pittsburgh Pirates Rookie Jared Jones Continues Historic Run of Forcing Whiffs

While Paul Skenes may be generating most of the headlines for the Pittsburgh Pirates this weekend, fellow rookie Jared Jones made even more history on Friday.

May 10, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (37). / David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports

The entire baseball world may be counting the seconds until Paul Skenes makes his MLB debut on Saturday, but the Pittsburgh Pirates had a different rookie pitcher toss a gem on Friday.

Right-hander Jared Jones continued his hot start to the 2024 season by posting yet another quality start against the Chicago Cubs. Jones allowed two earned runs in 6.0 innings, striking out four batters along the way.

Pittsburgh lost the game 7-2, so Jones dropped to 2-4 on the year, but his ERA still sits at 2.68. He also owns a 0.872 WHIP, 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.4 WAR.

Jones has induced 140 swings and misses so far in his debut season. As noted by MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that breaks the record for swings and misses through eight career starts since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008.

Masahiro Tanaka set the previous record with 135 back in 2014, while Spencer Strider tied that mark in 2022.

Jared Jones’ 140 swings and misses this season are the most by a pitcher in his first 8 career starts in the pitch-tracking era (2008)

prior record: Masahiro Tanaka + Spencer Strider, 135

h/t the wizard @JasonBernard_

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 11, 2024

That is some pretty solid company for Jones to be in, considering Tanaka was named an All-Star and placed fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting that season. Strider, meanwhile, was runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year and became an All-Star a year later.

Jones entered 2024 as the No. 3 prospect and No. 2 pitcher in the Pirates' farm system, almost completely overshadowed by Skenes. While Skenes was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Jones was a second rounder out of high school back in 2020 and was Pittsburgh's No. 11 prospect as recently as 2023.

The 22-year-old righty tossed 16.1 scoreless innings in Spring Training, though, winning a spot in the Pirates' starting rotation to open the year. He has more than proven himself to be capable, setting records and mowing down opposing lineups through six weeks of action.

And now that Skenes is joining Jones and homegrown ace Mitch Keller in Pittsburgh, the Pirates have reason to believe that their rotation can dominate for years to come.

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