Josh Hader, Shane Bieber are two other long-absent players who appear to be making progress
Normally, the mood here is a dour one, with the emphasis being more on what’s been lost than what’s being gained.
But we’ve reached a point in the season when some of the early injury cases who once seemed so far over the horizon no longer are.
One such player is Pirates pitcher Jared Jones, who’s making his way back from an internal brace procedure on his elbow. The 24-year-old had the look of a rising star a couple years ago, standing out most for his slider and a high-rising fastball that brushed triple digits. It’s doing more than brushing now. In fact, his one rehab start at Triple-A on May 6 saw him average 98.8 mph on his fastball, up 1.5 mph from when we last saw him healthy. In all, he has a 1.88 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 in four rehab starts and is likely to need just 1-2 more.
If you’re looking for an impact pitcher on the waiver wire, Jones is a better bet than some flavor of the week. Which injured player could you consider dropping for him? Find out in the latest edition of IL Stash Rankings.
Too valuable to drop, period
Also really difficult to drop
Still a priority on some level
Stashing is purely a luxury
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