​History was made at PNC Park on July 7 when Ryan O’Hearn hit three home runs and recorded a Pirates single-game record 10 RBIs. The following day, July 8, PNC Park nearly witnessed history again. Jared Jones, who returned from Tommy John surgery on May 29, has eight starts under his belt since missing more than a year. He’s shown solid progress as he finds his footing, carrying a 1-1 record and a 4.37 ERA across 35.0 innings pitched.
Ironically, Jones did make history with his performance—though not the kind most hoped for. In his eighth start last night against the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves, Jones was dominant. He struck out eight batters over six innings, allowing zero hits, zero runs, and issuing no walks. It stood out as one of the best outings of his young career and unquestionably his best since the injury. So why was he pulled after six innings?
Jones was on the brink of a perfect game. In league history, only 24 perfect games have ever been thrown, and Jones was just nine outs away from joining that exclusive club. Don Kelly removed him after 77 pitches, which wasn’t even a season high for him. Throughout the season, the right-hander has generally hovered in the mid-70s pitch range, though he did reach 81 pitches in a previous start against the Cincinnati Reds.
Pirates manager Don Kelly defended the decision to pull Jones early, stressing that health is the top priority: “It’s a tough one, man… health is the most important thing, winning the game, and then personal accomplishments third. We need Jared for the rest of the season throwing the ball like that.” Jones backed that stance, acknowledging the decision while remaining reflective. “It does suck…I completely understand it; it is what it is,” he said. He also noted that the original plan going into the game was to get five innings, but the low pitch count enabled him to squeeze out a sixth. Overall, he didn’t seem overly upset about the change, saying he was joking with Kelly after the sixth inning, trying to avoid the manager who was about to pull him. “It was fun, felt good the whole game… was just fun playing baseball,” Jones remarked.
Was it the right call? Most would say yes. From a long-term perspective, protecting a pitcher who has spent so much time rehabbing is prudent. While fans might have craved a shot at history, the priority is preventing reinjury and keeping Jones available for the rest of the season. The Pirates are already dealing with significant injury woes, as Konnor Griffin, Oneil Cruz, Spencer Horwitz, and Endy Rodriguez sit on the injured list. Those absences have contributed to the team’s struggles, making a cautious approach with Jones even more understandable. Such considerations likely factor into the decision-making process at the helm, especially when the goal is to maximize the Pirates’ chance to compete down the stretch.