Jared Jones couldn’t help but get emotional thinking about making his return to mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at PNC Park, just 53 weeks after undergoing InternalBrace surgery on his right elbow.
“Pretty damn cool. It took a lot of time, 12 months, almost exactly, of not playing baseball,” said Jones, who underwent surgery in late May 2025. “You kind of get a sense, it’s like you need it. That’s kind of what I’ve learned about myself over that time. I’m just extremely grateful to be back.”
Pirates RHP Jared Jones talks about getting his first MLB start Friday night against the Twins after missing a year following surgery on his right elbow. pic.twitter.com/Pqio2vpxdH
— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) May 28, 2026
Pirates manager Don Kelly announced before Thursday’s series finale against the Chicago Cubs that Jones will return to the starting rotation, a move that had the 24-year-old righty pumped to pitch in the majors again for the first time since Sept. 24, 2024, at the New York Yankees.
Jones was 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 132 strikeouts against 39 walks and 18 home runs allowed in 121 2/3 innings over 22 starts as a rookie in 2024. He had a pair of 10-strikeout performances and ranked in the 93rd percentile, per Baseball Savant, in fastball velocity (97.3 mph), with a 30.2% whiff percentage and 26.2% strikeout rate.
“It’s electric, the arsenal that he’s got, the competitor that he is,” Kelly said. “I know it’s a long journey for him. Looking back on that, it seems like a long time ago for me; I can’t imagine what it feels for him. But for him to be in a position to be out there (Friday) night is going to be a lot of fun.”
Kelly said right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski will move to the bullpen in what he described as a “bulk, multi-inning high-leverage” relief role. Mlodzinski was 4-3 with a 3.76 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 46 strikeouts against 20 walks in 11 appearances (nine starts) this season.
Kelly emphasized how Mlodzinski has the ability and the arsenal to cover multiple innings, whether used as a starter or a reliever, and can be paired with rookie right-hander Wilber Dotel “as another huge weapon.”
“Carmen has done a nice job as a starter, and he can also fill that role in the ’pen, multiple innings,” Kelly said. “That’s a starting pitcher-ish, bulk, multi-inning high-leverage guy out of the ’pen.”
Mlodzinski won a spot in the Opening Day starting rotation for the second consecutive season but has fared better in a relief role. Where he’s 3-8 with a 4.40 ERA and opponents have batted .287 with a .759 OPS against him in 100 1/3 innings over 26 career starts, the 27-year-old has a 2.63 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and has held hitters to a .223/.297/.322 slash line in 140 1/3 innings over 94 relief appearances.
Kelly called moving Mlodzinski to the bullpen an “extremely difficult decision, conversation” but one that gives the Pirates their best chance to win.
“He’s such a fierce competitor,” Kelly said. “Obviously disappointed and has worked hard in the starting pitcher’s role and has done a nice job, and the value that he brings out of the ’pen like that, to be able to throw high-leverage, multi-inning, big innings for us that, quite frankly, we need out of the ’pen.”
If there was an element of surprise to the decision, it’s that 23-year-old rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler remains in the rotation despite struggling with his command. Chandler is 1-6 with a 4.85 ERA and leads MLB with 36 walks in 52 innings over 11 starts, but Kelly said he’s seen improvement with an increase in strikeouts and reduction in walks over his past two starts.
“This is something that is going to be a fluid thing that guys have got to step up and continue to get better, continue to produce,” Kelly said. “Something that is always going to be a conversation on how we can make the team the best version to win every single day.”
The 24-year-old Jones made five starts on his rehabilitation assignment, including one for Low-A Bradenton and two each for Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, going 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 24 strikeouts against six walks in 18 2/3 innings.
“Yeah, it’s been a tough road to get back here,” Jones said. “Now that I’m here, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Pretty cool to be back.”
Before surgery, Jones relied heavily on his four-seam fastball (49%) and slider (35%) and mixed in a curveball and changeup. Jones hit triple digits in velocity on eight of his first 18 pitches in his first rehab start for Bradenton. Asked whether he’s a different pitcher post-operation, Jones simply smiled.
“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”