The Pirates announced that Jones underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair the UCL in his right elbow. Jones is projected to return to full competition in 10-to-12 months.

EDGE Analysis

Jones will miss the rest of the season, but the positive news is that his elbow procedure wasn't a standard Tommy John surgery, which would have carried a lengthier recovery timeline. The projected 10-to-12-month recovery window from surgery still likely means that Jones will open the 2026 season on the injured list, though an April or May return to the Pittsburgh rotation could be in the cards if he experiences no snags in the recovery process. Jones should be ready to begin a throwing program by the winter, and a firmer target date for his 2026 debut will likely come into focus during spring training.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Jones will undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday on his right elbow, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Tomczyk didn't indicate whether the upcoming procedure will be Tommy John surgery, an internal brace surgery or another kind of surgery, so Jones' status for the 2026 season won't be immediately known until more details are provided. Even if the 23-year-old righty doesn't need to miss much time to begin the 2026 season, he could struggle to immediately regain his pre-surgery velocity and command, making him a risky investment in fantasy leagues.

Jones (elbow) may have to undergo Tommy John surgery, John Perrotto of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones has missed the entirety of the 2025 season to this point while nursing a UCL sprain in his right elbow, and it now appears that he'll require surgery. With the Pirates well out of contention, the move comes as no surprise since there's no reason to take any chances with his health. It's a disappointing turn of events for fantasy managers though, as the right-hander was coming off of a 2024 rookie campaign in which he compiled a 4.14 ERA and 9.8 K/9 over 121.2 innings in 22 starts with Pittsburgh. Jones will now likely be sidelined for not only the remainder of 2025, but likely most, if not all, of the 2026 campaign.

Jones (elbow) began a throwing program Wednesday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones had been shut down since mid-March following a diagnosis of a UCL sprain in his right elbow. It's the beginning of what will be a lengthy throwing progression for the young right-hander, as he will be building back up from scratch. A timetable for Jones' return to the Pirates' rotation likely won't be available for several weeks, even if all goes well.

Jones (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Monday, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

This move is unrelated to Jones' timetable for a return, as the club already announced that the right-hander is likely out until June. The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Alexander Canario, who was acquired from the Mets earlier Monday in exchange for cash considerations.

The Pirates placed Jones on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right elbow UCL sprain, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones has damage to his UCL but will attempt to rest and rehab the injury. He will be shut down from throwing for six weeks before ramping things back up. The righty will be a candidate to be shifted to the 60-day injured list when/if the Pirates need a roster spot, as it's unlikely he'll be back before June.

Jones was diagnosed with a UCL sprain to the right elbow Wednesday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Pirates initially announced the injury as soreness, but Todd Tomcyzk, the team's director of sports medicine, announced the formal diagnosis. He further elaborated that the ligament is stable, which has allowed Jones to avoid surgery for the time being. The announcement doesn't appear to change Jones' timeline to return, though there's a chance he will begin a two-handed plyo program in roughly three weeks.

Jones (elbow) has no torn ligaments and will not need surgery, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones went down with elbow discomfort Wednesday and had to forgo his final spring training start. It was feared that the righty was going to require surgery after it was reported he was seeking a second opinion on his elbow. While he will not require surgery, the 23-year-old will go six weeks without throwing.

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Jones has already had imaging on his sore right elbow and is waiting on a second opinion, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

A second opinion on an injury typically isn't sought out if the first opinion is favorable, so the news is less than ideal. However, Tomczyk added that "I don't want to be an alarmist" and was quick to point out that the team is still in the information-gathering stage. Jones will not pitch again during spring training and a stint on the injured list is highly likely, but the bigger concern here is if the right-hander needs surgery. More on Jones' status should be known in the coming days.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Jones experienced elbow discomfort during his most recent bullpen session and won't be able to make his final Grapefruit League start later this week, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Shelton said that the Pirates will have internal conversations regarding when Jones will be able to make his first start of the season, but given that elbow discomfort can often foreshadow a more significant injury, the young right-hander would seem at high risk of landing on the injured list. Before a decision is made on Jones' next steps, the Pirates will presumably wait and see how his elbow responds to a few days of rest. If Jones is shelved to begin the season, the Pirates could open up a spot in the rotation for prospect Thomas Harrington, who wasn't expected to break camp with the big club but excelled in his first Grapefruit League start Tuesday.