Jared Jones

Jones returned from UCL internal-brace surgery in late May and has delivered 40 innings of solid pitching for the Pirates. His 14.5% K-BB rate and 16% swinging strike rate prove the stuff translated post-surgery, and the Pirates are slowly expanding his workload toward a full starter's load. He struck out five in six innings on Tuesday against the D-backs. At 25% owned, he's still flying under the radar in most leagues — available everywhere and worth starting now.

Jones' debut line (4.1 IP, 5 ER) will suppress ownership this week — use that window. His rehab résumé (2.89 ERA, 24:6 K:BB across 18.2 innings) and the fact that his first six MLB pitches hit triple digits after a year off confirm the UCL recovery went as well as it could have. Post-TJS pitchers routinely have a rocky first start as they recalibrate real-game adrenaline and sequencing. Stash at 11% owned before his next start reveals the more sustainable version.

Jones cleared the 60-day IL before his Friday debut and threw nine 100+ mph fastballs, striking out six in his first game back from UCL surgery. He will be on a strict pitch-count ramp for the next several weeks, but his ceiling is top-10 SP when fully stretched out. The upside justifies a roster spot in any format — grab him while ownership is still manageable post-debut before the hype cycle fully ignites.