Pittsburgh Pirates' Jared Jones Returns From Injured List, Will Start Tuesday

Following an eight-week stint on the injured list with a right lat strain, breakout rookie pitcher Jared Jones is set to return to the Pittsburgh Pirates' rotation against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Jul 3, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (37) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Pirates have ended the rehab assignment of right-handed pitcher Jared Jones, activating the rookie from the 15-day injured list, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

Jones hit the injured list on July 4, having suffered a right lat strain against the St. Louis Cardinals the day before. He wound up missing nearly eight weeks of big league action with the injury.

The 23-year-old righty made three rehab starts with Triple-A Indianapolis earlier this month. He posted a 4.91 ERA 1.09 WHIP and 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings across those three outings, going above and beyond with his 5.0 scoreless frames and 10 strikeouts against Columbus on Aug. 20.

Now, Jones has been cleared to return to the Pirates' active roster. He will start against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Before he went down last month, Jones was 5-6 with a 3.56 ERA, 1.110 WHIP, 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a WAR through 16 big league starts.

To make room for Jones on the 26-man roster, the Pirates designated left-handed pitcher Brady Feigl for assignment. Pittsburgh also optioned utility man Ji Hwan Bae to Triple-A Indianapolis so they could activate right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski from the 15-day injured list alongside Jones.

We have made the following roster moves:

• Ended the rehab assignments of RHP Jared Jones and RHP Carmen Mlodzinski and reinstated each from the 15-day injured list

• Optioned INF/OF Ji Hwan Bae to Triple-A Indianapolis

• Designated LHP Brady Feigl for assignment

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 27, 2024

Jones entered the season as the No. 62 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. He followed that up with a dominant Spring Training in which he tossed 16.1 innings, earning a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster.

After Jones had made history by racking up strikeouts and avoiding walks for a few months, 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes joined Pittsburgh's major league rotation as well. Mitch Keller may have signed a long-term extension to serve as the Pirates' ace before the season, but the franchise suddenly had a two-headed rookie monster of Jones and Skenes making waves of their own.

Skenes asserted himself as the leading candidate to win NL Rookie of the Year during Jones' absence, but now Pittsburgh should have them both good to go for the home stretch.

First pitch for Jones' return against the Cubs is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET. Jones is 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts versus Chicago this season.

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