Pirates' Jared Jones About to Take Next Step in Recovery

Aug 27, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (37) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates' Jared Jones About to Take Next Step in Recovery

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Apr 16, 2026 11:58 AM ET

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PITTSBURGH — Jared Jones has been progressing in his rehab and the Pittsburgh Pirates revealed what he'll do going forward.

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk gave an update on the right-handed starting pitcher and said that Jones is entering the sim-game phase or sim game portion of his rehab, where they'll continue montioring him and see how he progresses.

Jones has already done live bullpens, which he also did when he returned to Pittsburgh this week, throwing a bullpen in front of Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy at PNC Park on April 14.

Tomczyk anticipate Jones facing live hitters with a different jersey than a Pirates jersey, which he's been doing, which will give him some experience of facing opposing hitting again, at least mentally.

He sees Jones going through around three to six sim-games, which is common for pitchers coming off the elbow surgery that he underwent last May, along with live batting practice, before they decide he's ready to start a rehab assignment.

“It’s not black-and-white with everybody because you really don’t know how they’re going to respond," Tomczyk said. "There is a gradual progression of innings and number of pitches and he is at the early stages of that progression of building up number of pitches and innings.”

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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