Most of the attention on the Pittsburgh Pirates' rotation a year ago centered on Paul Skenes, but Jared Jones quietly had a fine year as well.
The 22-year-old went 6-8 in 22 starts for the Pirates last year, posting a 4.14 ERA with slightly better peripheral numbers. He struck out 132 batters in 121 2/3 innings, and appeared positioned to serve as a building block for future Pittsburgh teams.
In March, however, Jones sprained his elbow. On Wednesday, the Pirates said he would go under the knife to treat the injury.
"We will learn of the details of the specifics of the surgery and ultimately the prognosis and timeframe for return," Pittsburgh director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said via MLB.com.
The news comes amid a poor start for the Pirates, who currently hold a 16-33 record. They already trail the Chicago Cubs by 13 games in the National League Central.
Skenes remains potent—his 2.44 ERA ranks fifth in the league—but he can't do it alone.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Up-and-Coming Pirates Pitcher Set to Undergo Elbow Surgery.
