Jared Jones threw his first bullpen since internal-brace elbow surgery and reached 91 mph — on track for a March–May return. Betting impact: expect early-season limits on innings and a possible bullpen role; bettors should be cautious on win and strikeout props for Jones and favor rotation-depth or ace-focused wagers instead.
Jared Jones Shows Velocity in First Post-Surgery Bullpen, Eyes Early-Season Return
Jared Jones took a significant step in his comeback from right-elbow internal-brace surgery, throwing his first bullpen session this week and hitting 91 mph on the radar gun. The outing, posted to Jones’ social channels, is a promising sign as he progresses through a 10–12 month rehabilitation timeline that targets game activity between March and May.
Surgery Details and Rehabilitation Plan
Jones missed the 2025 season after experiencing elbow pain during spring training that led to a UCL sprain. He underwent internal-brace surgery on May 21 and was cleared by the operating surgeon to resume throwing in September. The internal brace is less invasive than Tommy John surgery but still requires a staged recovery to reattach and strengthen the ligament.
The team’s rehab protocol has followed the typical progression: flat-ground throwing, then bullpen sessions, and gradual mound work. Jones threw his first flat-ground session in early December and advanced to a full bullpen this month, hitting 91 mph in the process. The club expects a steady build in both distance and intensity before live mound sessions and simulated games.
Timeline and Medical Perspective
Pirates’ senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk outlined the incremental approach: “Build up in distance, so you start flat ground at 60 feet and go to 120 to 135 feet. Get off the mound, get off the slope, there’s attrition there, there’s a gradual build up in strength. Once we get him strong enough, comfortable enough off the mound, he’ll transition to full mound live sessions and live BPs and sim games… early indications he’s on track for the original projection of return to game-like activities in 10-to-12 months.”
That timeline places Jones on course to rejoin game action sometime between March and May, assuming no setbacks during ramp-up.
Performance Background and Rotation Fit
Jones showed promise in 2024, making the Opening Day roster and finishing with a 6–8 record, 4.14 ERA in 22 starts and 121.2 innings, striking out 132 batters with a 1.19 WHIP. He opened the season strong but was later hampered by a right lat strain that contributed to uneven results down the stretch.
When healthy, Jones will return to a Pittsburgh rotation that already features elite young talent, including Paul Skenes and a crop of rookies such as Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco and Bubba Chandler, plus veteran Mitch Keller. Early in his return he could be eased in through the bullpen before transitioning back into a starting role, depending on workload management and team needs.
What This Means for Bettors
Jones’ controlled progression and the internal-brace recovery timeline suggest cautious optimism rather than immediate betting value. Short-term betting considerations: - Expect limited-inning usage early, making season-long innings and wins props riskier. - Strikeout and quality-start props may be conservative until Jones logs live, competitive innings. - Bettors looking to wager on the Pirates’ rotation should prioritize proven arms like Skenes or target team-level markets (rotation ERA, wins) over individual early-season Jones props. - Consider waiting for first competitive starts to assess velocity, command and stamina before placing player-specific bets.
With his velocity back into the low-90s in a bullpen setting, Jones has cleared a key checkpoint; the market will likely react as he completes mound work and sim games.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher is making his way back from surgery.
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