Pirates RHP Jared Jones is missing his next spring training start because of elbow issues

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones is missing his next spring training start because of elbow discomfort.

Jones went 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA last season, combining with Paul Skenes to form an impressive rookie tandem on the mound in Pittsburgh, but now his status is uncertain just over a week before the season opener for the Pirates.

“He’s not going to make his next start in spring training,” manager Derek Shelton told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday. “That’s for sure. I think with that being said, we’re going to have to look at what happens going into the season.”

Todd Tomczyk, the team’s senior director of sports medicine, told reporters the team is currently awaiting a second opinion on Jones, who has had medical imaging done.

“We’re hopeful we’ll have a resolution in the coming days, at least what the next steps are,” Tomczyk said. “But we are in kind of a hold, in a waiting pattern, until we can get that additional read.”

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