Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones underwent surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced.
Jones, who was slated to be the team's No. 2 starter this season, has been on the injury list with a UCL sprain in his right elbow. His recovery was trending in the right direction before a setback last week in which he felt discomfort while doing long tosses (100 feet).
The Pirates said the procedure, performed in Dallas by elbow surgeon Dr. Keith Meister, was for a UCL repair. The team projects Jones to return to "full competition" in 10 to 12 months.
Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Jones, 23, visited Meister on Tuesday and made the decision to proceed with the surgery. A time frame for Jones' return has yet to be established.
Jones went 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts during his rookie season in 2024, though he did miss time because of a lat injury.
Pittsburgh had hoped Jones would be featured near the top of the rotation, along with reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes and veteran Mitch Keller.
Tomczyk said surgery was one of the options presented to Jones at the time of the injury, but Jones, with the support of the club and other medical experts, opted for rehab to give him a "fighting chance" to pitch in 2025.
Jones was shut down for six weeks, then began throwing from 60 feet in late April without issue. It wasn't until the program was extended to 100 feet that Jones felt discomfort.
First baseman Enmanuel Valdez will also miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left shoulder.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
