PITTSBURGH – A sidelined Pirate made a significant step in his long road to recovery earlier this month.
Starting pitcher Jared Jones, who has missed the regular season after undergoing surgery in mid-May to repair his right elbow, has started playing catch three times a week from 60 feet at Pirate City, Pittsburgh’s Spring Training facility in Bradenton, Fla.
“I feel like a kid on Christmas every single day I get to pick up a baseball,” Jones said. “Four months off of not being a baseball player and just working out and rehabbing. It's been tough. Just being able to put a baseball in my hand and make a throwing motion again has been really, really fun.”
The 24-year-old Jones has been throwing with Vic Black, the organization’s pattern and throwing coordinator. He will continue to work out at the team’s facilities this offseason for the third straight year.
Jones was initially able to avoid surgery for his right UCL sprain suffered early in Spring Training after doctors found the ligament was still intact. He recovered after six weeks and even began throwing from 100 feet, but he experienced recurring symptoms soon after and was eventually shut down for good.
Jones underwent an internal brace surgery, as opposed to the more common Tommy John surgery, which allowed him to be on a more accelerated 10- to 12-month track as opposed to 14-16 months.
Despite the promising timeline, Jones said getting through the mental uncertainty of throwing for the first time was the most difficult step.
“[I was feeling] a little bit of everything,” Jones said. “Excited to take the next step in my recovery and terrified to take that next step, because it was my first day throwing. I didn't know what to expect or how to feel or anything like that. But yeah, overall, I was just really excited to get over day one.
“I feel like it's just a mind game of finally getting day one over with. Again, you don't know what to expect or how to feel or anything like that, but ever since day one of throwing, it's been smooth sailing from there.”
The Pirates’ second-round Draft pick out of La Mirada (Calif.) High School in 2020, Jones showed plenty of promise last year in his first Major League season, posting a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts. He also struck out 132 hitters in just 121 2/3 innings.
Jones recently rejoined the team and has been able to see his teammates before the start of the offseason. He said it has been tough having to watch Pirates games from the couch when he would rather be on the field, or at the very least in the dugout.
Still, Jones has enjoyed getting to witness all of the success that newcomers Bubba Chandler, Mike Burrows and Braxton Ashcraft have had.
“Yeah, I mean, you look around the clubhouse and you look at all the pitchers we have, and everyone’s electric,” Jones said. “Everyone’s been really good at what they do this season. It’s going to be a lot of fun to come back to.”