Jones threw five sinkers during his first spring training start Tuesday, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones threw 27 total pitches across two scoreless innings while striking out three. During the impressive outing, Jones debuted a new two-seamer with sinking action. He has yet to commit to using the pitch during the regular season, though continuing to develop the offering appears to be a priority this spring.

Jones has worked on a two-seam fastball this offseason and will test the pitch in spring training games, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones had a breakout 2024 season, but his 1.3 HR/9 was a blemish in his skills profile. Like teammate Paul Skenes, Jones is working on a pitch with sinking action in an attempt to keep the ball in the yard more effectively. That could also hurt his potential strikeout upside, though he didn't commit to using it in the regular season.

The Pirates optioned Jones to the Florida Complex League on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Jones' season was already over after he made his final start of the season Friday, so the Pirates will simply send him to their complex in Florida to finish the season, opening up a roster spot for Mike Burrows in the process. The 23-year-old Jones will finish his rookie campaign with a 4.14 ERA and 1.19 WHIP alongside a 132:39 K:BB across 22 starts.

Jones allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over 4.1 innings in a no-decision Friday. He struck out seven during a win over the Yankees.

EDGE Analysis

Jones worked around a couple of jams through four shutout frames but was charged with two runs after leaving the game with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. It was his third straight start with five or fewer innings pitched after beginning the month with a pair of quality starts. Jones made just six starts after the All-Star break due to a lat strain. He posted a 5.87 ERA during that stretch. Jones' rookie year was mostly considered a success otherwise, as he finished with a 4.14 ERA and a 132:39 K:BB through 121.2 innings.

Jones (6-8) took the loss Saturday against the Reds, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five over five innings.

EDGE Analysis

The Reds pounced on Jones as he matched career highs in home runs and earned runs allowed. Jones got off to a blistering start this season, but injuries and inefficiency have plagued him of late. Since coming off the injured list Aug. 27, Jones has a 6.23 ERA in five starts, and he has seen his ERA climb to 4.14 in 117.1 innings for the season.

Jones didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Royals, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks across four innings. He struck out five.

EDGE Analysis

Jones pitched into the seventh inning in back-to-back starts, but he got pulled after 92 pitches and four innings. While Jones didn't qualify for the win, it was another decent start for the 22-year-old rookie. He's allowed three or fewer runs in his last three starts, logging a 3.63 ERA and an 18:4 K:BB across 17.1 innings. Jones is tentatively scheduled to face the Reds at Great American Ballpark next weekend.

Jones (6-7) earned the win Sunday, allowing two runs on four hits over seven innings against the Nationals. He struck out nine.

EDGE Analysis

Jones matched a career high by tossing seven innings while the nine whiffs were the most he's accumulated in a start since the beginning of May. After allowing single runs in each of the first two innings, Jones retired the final 16 batters he faced, including striking out five of the final six. It was Jones' 11th quality start in 19 appearances this season and second-consecutive quality start after struggling in his initial outing following a two-month absence due to a lat injury. With the Pirates out of playoff contention, Jones is a candidate to be limited over the final few weeks of the season though as long as he's taking the hill, he belongs in fantasy lineups. He's tentatively lined up to make his next start in a home matchup against the Royals.

Jones allowed three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four batters over 6.1 innings in a no-decision against the Cubs on Monday.

EDGE Analysis

Jones was tagged for five runs over four innings against the Cubs in his return from a lengthy stay on the injured list last Tuesday, but he was much better in a rematch against Chicago on Monday. The rookie right-hander threw 60 of 87 pitches for strikes and walked just one batter, but a solo homer by Dansby Swanson (who also homered against Jones in his previous outing) and a two-run triple by Ian Happ put him in line for the loss until Pittsburgh's offense came to life in the eighth inning. Jones wasn't quite as effective as he was early in the campaign when he posted a 3.05 ERA and averaged nearly seven punchouts per game over his first 10 outings, but he did manage his 10th quality start of the season while providing optimism that he can finish off what has been a promising rookie campaign on a high note.

Jones (5-7) took the loss Tuesday against the Cubs, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out four.

EDGE Analysis

The Pittsburgh right-hander looked rusty in his return from a lat injury, pitching in the big leagues for the first time since July 3. Jones allowed multiple home runs for just the fourth time out of 17 starts this season, yielding two-run long balls to Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson. If looking for a silver lining in this 83-pitch outing, it is that Jones' velocity appeared healthy, as he averaged 97.2 mph on his fastball (compared to 97.3 mph on the season). The rookie flamethrower looks to bounce back in his next start, currently lining up to be a rematch against the Cubs in Chicago next week.

The Pirates activated Jones (lat) from the 15-day injured list Tuesday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Jones will rejoin the Pittsburgh rotation Tuesday versus the Cubs after missing nearly two months of action with a Grade 2 right lat strain. The rookie right-hander made three rehab starts at Triple-A Indianapolis and was excellent in his final one, permitting just one hit and one walk over five shutout frames while fanning 10 batters. Jones threw 73 pitches in that outing, so he probably won't be ready for a full workload Tuesday.