âDonât count Vaibhav Sooryavanshiâs ageâ: Shikhar Dhawanâs bold India debut statement
Shikhar Dhawan praises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying age shouldn't define talent.
The Pittsburgh Pirates lost their fifth consecutive game, falling 10-5 to the St. Louis Cardinals, and now hold a 16-16 record. Despite the team's struggles, an update on Jared Jones provides a glimmer of hope.
Jared Jones Update Gives Ray of Sunshine on Gloomy Pirates Day
PITTSBURGH â It was a gloomy day all the way around on an overcast Thursday at PNC Park. Well almost.
The Pirates lost their fifth straight game, falling 10-5 to the St. Louis Cardinals, who finished a sweep of the four-game series. The loss also dropped Pittsburghâs record to 16-16, and the Pirates are now the only team in the National League Central without a winning record.
The good vibes that had been surrounding the Pirates during the early portion of the season are fading, and with them goes their status as national media darlings. The storyline of a franchise that has had 29 losing seasons in the last 33 years is no longer so intriguing.
Despite these struggles, there is no sense of panic. Pirates manager Don Kelly has repeatedly praised his players for their resiliency, emphasizing that there are still 130 games left in the season.
Amidst the recent losses, one ray of light on Thursday came before the game, when Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk gave an update on right-hander Jared Jones. On Wednesday night, Jones pitched in a game for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery midway through his rookie season in 2024.
Jones pitched three perfect innings against Lakeland in a Florida State League game, throwing 41 pitches. Most impressively, his fastball topped out at 101.1 mph.
âReally cool to see Jared out there,â Tomczyk said. âInitial reports, initial input, initial data from the group down from there, and from Jared, notably, heâs recovering normally. Heâs going to throw a side in the coming days. Unbelievable to see what body of work Jared put in there, and thereâs more to be done. Super excited for him. I know heâs fired up.â
Jones made his major-league debut with the Pirates in 2024 and had a 6-8 record and 4.14 ERA in 22 starts. While those statistics were average, Jones showed flashes of brilliance while striking out 132 batters in 121 2/3 innings and making 11 quality starts.
Jared Jones' update offers a positive outlook amidst the Pirates' recent struggles.
The Pirates have lost five straight games.
The Pirates currently have a record of 16-16.
Shikhar Dhawan praises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying age shouldn't define talent.
Fabrizio Romano names Anthony Gordon as a key Chelsea transfer target!
Timberwolves overcome injuries to beat Nuggets in Game 6!
Billy Loughnane seeks Classic win with Bow Echo in 2,000 Guineas.
Anaheim Ducks secure first playoff series win since 2017 by defeating Oilers in Game 6!
NBA Fans React to Jokic's Disappointing Playoff Performance
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
As a rookie, Jones looked like a future No. 2 starter for the Pirates behind Paul Skenes. Considering Jones is still just 24, that scenario remains possible.
While Jonesâ initial minor-league start was encouraging, the Pirates arenât ready to set a target date for his return to the majors. Tomczyk explained that Jones is following a program similar to the preparation a healthy starting pitcher undergoes during spring training, gradually increasing innings and pitch counts. The team will continue evaluating his progress before determining when he might rejoin the major-league roster.
âGenerally speaking, you go three (innings) and 50-ish [pitches], four and 65, five and 80, six and 90,â Tomczyk said. âWe want to give Jared a spring training-type ramp up to make sure heâs in a really good spot.â
Pirates Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. Weâd love to have you join us to talk all things Pirates. Click the âJoinâ button at the top of the page to join our community for free.