RADIO
Jared Jones Nearing his Return to MLB Rotation?
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones (elbow) will make his next minor-league rehab start on Saturday for Triple-A Indianapolis, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. General manager Ben Cherington said on Sunday that Jones would make "at least one" more rehab start, so Saturday could be his last rehab outing before rejoining the Pirates' major-league starting rotation. He will be eligible to come off the 60-day injured list after that. Despite missing all of the 2025 season due to elbow surgery, Jones is one of the best arms to stash in fantasy baseball leagues, and he's only rostered in 37% of Yahoo leagues right now. He got up to 52 pitches and 4 1/3 innings in his last rehab start, and he's looked solid in his four starts with Indy, Single-A Bradenton, and Double-A Altoona, posting a 1.88 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 18 K's and only three walks in 14 1/3 frames. Jones was a second-round pick in 2020 and impressed in his first 22 major-league starts as a rookie in 2024 with 132 punchouts and 39 walks in 121 2/3 innings pitched.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Jared Jones a High-End Injury Stash
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones (elbow) is nearing a return to Pittsburgh's big-league starting rotation after missing the entire 2025 season due to elbow surgery. The 24-year-old has already made three minor-league rehab starts with Single-A Bradenton, Double-A Altoona, and Triple-A Indianapolis and has looked really good, allowing just one earned run on eight hits while walking just one and fanning 11 in 10 total innings. In his last outing with Altoona on Tuesday, Jones threw 36 of his 52 pitches for strikes. He's still not completely built up and ready to return to the Pirates' starting rotation, and he's not eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until late May. In a best-case scenario, we probably won't see Jones make his 2026 season debut until early June. Still, Jones deserves stash consideration for those searching for starting pitching help. He struggled with the long ball (18 allowed in 121 2/3 innings) in his first 22 MLB starts in his rookie season in 2024, but otherwise, he was impressive with 132 K's and 39 walks. Jones is rostered in 36% of Yahoo leagues currently.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Paul Skenes Strikes Out 10 on Tuesday, ERA Drops Under 2.00
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes made easy work of the visiting Colorado Rockies at PNC Park on Tuesday night for his sixth win of the season. Skenes threw eight shutout innings and only allowed two hits, walking none and striking out 10 to drop his ERA on the season to 1.98. Since his uncharacteristic outlier performance on Opening Day against the New York Mets, when he surrendered five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning, the two-time All-Star, former National League Rookie of the Year, and last year's NL Cy Young winner has given up a grand total of six earned runs in eight starts. He has thrown 16 shutout innings in his last two starts with 17 strikeouts, no walks, and only four hits allowed. It's safe to say that Skenes has rounded into his dominant self in 2026, and he'll be a no-brainer must-start in all fantasy formats for his next scheduled outing against the struggling Philadelphia Phillies.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jared Jones Goes Four Innings in Third Rehab Start on Tuesday
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones (elbow) looked impressive in his third minor-league rehab start on Tuesday with Double-A Altoona, tossing four scoreless innings with three hits allowed, no walks, and four strikeouts. The 24-year-old former second-round pick in 2020 hasn't shown a dip in velocity during his three rehab starts after having surgery on his right elbow last year, and he threw 36 of his 52 pitches for strikes on Tuesday. Jones is on the 60-day injured list, which means he's not eligible to be reinstated to make his 2026 season debut until later this month. Because of his extended absence, fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect him to rejoin Pittsburgh's starting rotation until early June. He'll have at least a few more starts down on the farm to build up his pitch count. Jones has been overshadowed by pitching phenom Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh, but he was impressive in his 22 starts in his rookie season in 2024 and is one of the better injured pitchers to stash in fantasy leagues. He's currently rostered in 35% of Yahoo leagues as he makes his way back.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Paul Skenes Rides Momentum Into Start vs. Rockies
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes has found his stride on the mound once again. After an anomalous Opening Day performance in which he was pulled during the first inning, Skenes has bounced back and lowered his FIP to 2.81. Through eight starts, he is 5-2 with 9.86 K/9 and 1.50 BB/9. His blend of control and velocity continues to suit him well, leading to great results for the Pirates and fantasy managers. Skenes went five perfect and eight scoreless in his last outing, so he'll look to keep that momentum going Tuesday against the Rockies. It's a favorable matchup for the Cy Young favorite, since the Rockies' offense has the second-most strikeouts and the sixth-fewest walks in baseball. The game is also in Pittsburgh, meaning that Skenes doesn't have to worry about Coors Field, and the Rockies' batters will have to adjust to a less favorable environment.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bubba Chandler's Lack of Control Making him Hard to Trust
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler has plenty of long-term upside, but so far in his first full season in the big leagues, he has struggled to control the baseball, allowing a league-high 27 free passes in his 39 innings over his first eight starts in 2026. Chandler has gone 1-4 in the early going with a 4.62 ERA (5.53 FIP) and 1.46 WHIP with 34 strikeouts. The 23-year-old former third-round pick in 2021 walked 13 batters in three starts from April 23 to May 5. In his most recent outing, though, Chandler went five innings against the punchless San Francisco Giants, giving up two earned runs on five hits while walking just one and striking out three for a no-decision. It was encouraging that he only walked one batter his last time out, but until he can show us that he can command his arsenal more consistently, Chandler is going to be a volatile fantasy starter. His next start will come against the underperforming Philadelphia Phillies at home. Start Chandler at your own risk.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Seth Hernandez Promoted to High-A Greensboro After Dominant Start in Single-A
The Pittsburgh Pirates have promoted right-hander Seth Hernandez to High-A Greensboro after a dominant six-start run in the Single-A Florida State League. Hernandez, the No. 19 prospect in baseball and the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, logged 28 innings and allowed just three earned runs while piling up 50 strikeouts. The 19-year-old has showcased elite swing-and-miss stuff early in his professional career, using his 6-foot-4 frame to overpower opposing hitters. It is still an early step in his development, but Hernandez has already flashed frontline starter potential. If the right-hander continues to miss bats at this level, his rise through the Pirates organization could move quickly.
Source: Kody Duncan
Source: Kody Duncan
