PITTSBURGH -- Jared Jones and the Pirates may not have gotten the worst-case scenario for his right UCL sprain, but the final outcome was far from ideal.
On Wednesday, Jones underwent surgery on his right elbow. It wasn’t a Tommy John procedure, but rather a revision that is usually referred to as an “internal brace.” While a full reconstruction of the elbow usually has a 14- to 16-month recovery window, the internal brace procedure has an estimated 10- to 12-month range.
Regardless of which procedure was done, it does slam the door shut on Jones potentially returning to the rotation in 2025.
“I will miss the game, competing, my teammates and everything that goes with baseball,” Jones wrote on his Instagram on Wednesday, confirming it was a successful internal brace surgery. “Can’t wait to jump over that line again.”
After news like this, it’s fair to have questions. After the surgery, there’s finally some clarity and answers.
Why didn't he have the surgery in March?
Jones suffered the initial injury in Spring Training, and after gathering several opinions and doing rounds of imaging, it was determined that he should be shut down for six weeks and then build back up. He was up to throwing from 100 feet until late last week when he started experiencing recurring symptoms that warranted another visit with Dr. Keith Meister. It was there that it was determined that Jones needed surgery.
The immediate reaction may be frustration that Jones didn’t have the procedure the first go-around. After all, he could be about two months into his rehab by now. It’s not that simple, though. Surgery is always a last resort, and at the time, it was determined that it wasn’t necessary.
“In Spring Training, it was not a black-and-white case,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “At that time, through the conversation… it was determined – and Dr. Meister felt confident – that we should take a bet. We should make a bet on conservative care rehab. Let's see if we can bring this back, because it was not a black-and-white case.”
The Pirates made that bet with the hope that Jones could return in the second half of this year. It obviously didn’t work, but it was nobody’s fault. It’s not uncommon for pitchers who take the conservative route to experience a setback in the long-toss stage. That’s what happened to Jones.
