Pittsburgh Pirates Rookie Starting Pitcher Jared Jones Enjoying Historic Start to 2024

Jared Jones, who has made just two starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates, ranks second in the league in strikeouts and has done something only Shohei Ohtani did before.

Apr 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jared Jones (37) pitches from the mound. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

There may be plenty of hype surrounding top prospect Paul Skenes, but the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to have a dominant rookie dealing in the big leagues already.

Right-hander Jared Jones earned the No. 3 spot in Pittsburgh's rotation entering 2024, despite never throwing a single pitch in an MLB game. The No. 62 prospect in baseball tossed 16.1 scoreless innings in Spring Training, though, which the Pirates took as a sign that he was ready for an early promotion.

Jones made the second start of his major league career Friday against the Baltimore Orioles. The 22-year-old righty allowed two earned runs in 6.0 innings, adding seven strikeouts along the way.

Even though he got stuck with the tough-luck loss, Jones lowered his ERA to 3.86 and his WHIP to 0.943. Jones now leads the entire National League with 17 strikeouts and 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

Pirates broadcaster Joe Block shared a stat on social media after Jones got the hook, provided by OptaSTATS. Jones has induced 43 swings-and-misses through his first two MLB appearances, which is tied for the most all-time.

The only other pitcher who has accomplished the feat is Shohei Ohtani, who did so as a rookie with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.

Most swings-and-misses, first 2 MLB games pitched:

Jared Jones - 43
Shohei Ohtani - 43

(since 1988, via @OptaSTATS)

— Joe Block (@joe_block) April 5, 2024

Of course, Jones isn't the two-way player Ohtani is, but Ohtani has still been one of the most efficient pitchers in baseball even when his batting stats aren't taken into consideration. The Japanese superstar won AL Rookie of the Year in 2018 and placed fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2022.

For his career, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA, 1.082 WHIP and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

If Jones can approach that kind of production in the early part of his career in Pittsburgh, the team could have another cornerstone of their rotation for the foreseeable future. With ace Mitch Keller locked up long term, Johan Oviedo due back from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and Skenes not far off from a call-up of his own, the Pirates' young pitching might just be unmatched.

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