Pittsburgh Pirates' Jared Jones threw six perfect innings, but was removed from the game.
Jared Jones and Don Kelly embraced in the dugout after the Pittsburgh Pirates' starting pitcher came off the mound at the end of his start.
It looked like Jones was trying to avoid making eye contact with his skipper, fully knowing the situation he was in.
The Pirates starter was perfect through six innings with eight strikeouts, and Kelly even admitted it was the best he’s ever seen from Jones.
So, why did the team take him out?
It came down to looking out for Jones’ long-term health. Jones is still working his way back after major surgery and is on a pitch limit, and the team wasn’t going to take any chances with his health.
In fact, Kelly said they even let Jones go an extra inning, given how well he was throwing.
“Coming off of surgery and him going five ups, I mean, we actually pushed him an extra inning there, and he was throwing the ball so well. That sucks, you know, for him, and under normal circumstances, a perfect game, you continue to go, coming off of surgery and everything, you just can't push in there,” Kelly explained after the game.
Kelly also pointed out that, with Jones already at 77 pitches when he came out of the game, it might have taken him 120 pitches to complete a game. That’s a lot for a pitcher who isn’t fully built back up and is still relatively fresh off surgery.
Jul 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (17) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesIt’s disappointing that Jones had to come out of the game. Not many pitchers in their careers get that far into a game with an opportunity to make history.
Jones admitted after the game, “it does sucks,” but he “completely understands” the team’s decision to take him out.
“Something cool is coming up… but it’s what, my eighth start off the surgery, Jones said postgame.
Looking at this outing on a larger scale, Jones finally looking like his pre-surgery self is a great sign for him and the Pirates' pitching staff.
It’s been a bumpy road over Jones’ eight starts this season, but his outing on Wednesday was not only his longest but also the 24-year-old’s most effective.
Expecting six perfect innings from Jones is unrealistic moving forward, but it does appear the Pirates pitcher is heading in the right direction with his buildup.
Pirates Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Pirates. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
