WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jared Jones didn’t realize he was scheduled to start Friday’s home opener for the Pittsburgh Pirates until he got a text message from his father.
Even then, the 22-year-old rookie right-hander remained skeptical.
“He goes, ‘Hey, you know you’re scheduled for the home opener?’ No, I’m not. Stop,” Jones said, with a smile. “He goes, ‘No, dude, seriously.’ That’s pretty cool.”
After recording 10 strikeouts in a dazzling major league debut Saturday at Miami, Jones called it “an awesome privilege” that he will be on the mound to face Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez at 4:12 p.m. Friday at PNC Park.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton said fans are in for a treat with Jones, a 2020 second-round pick who flirted with triple digits on his four-seam fastball and showed off a nasty slider in allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in 5⅔ innings in the 9-3 win over the Marlins.
“I think they’re gonna be really excited to see him pitch in that game,” Shelton said. “We haven’t seen much faze him, and we’re really excited about getting home in front of the crowd. It should be a fun day.”
