First pitch is 6:45 PM ET at PNC Park and the matchup tells you everything. Jones (0-0, 0.00) makes his first MLB start since September 27, 2024 after internal brace surgery, building up across 5 rehab starts with a 2.89 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. Taj Bradley (5-1, 2.77) draws the assignment for Minnesota, riding the momentum from a 5-inning, 7-strikeout, 1-run gem in Boston last time out where he reportedly touched 100.3 MPH — the fastest pitch by a Twins starter on record.
The Pirates needed this rotation jolt. They reshuffled to make room for Jones, moving Carmen Mlodzinski to the bullpen as a bulk arm, and they're hoping the 24-year-old picks up where he left off in 2024. The bigger ask: do it against a Twins lineup that, even in a slump, still has more on paper than what Pittsburgh has been seeing from a Cubs team that just took the last two at home.
Minnesota is the team in actual freefall. The Twins went into Chicago and somehow lost 3 of 4 to the White Sox, including a 15-2 demolition on Wednesday. That is the White Sox. You don't lose a game 15-2 to the White Sox unless something is genuinely off. The 27-30 record is bad enough — getting steamrolled by the worst franchise in baseball is the kind of thing that ends up in a clubhouse meeting.
The injury list isn't doing the Twins any favors either. Pablo Lopez is on the 60-day, David Festa likely isn't back before the All-Star break, Ryan Jeffers is out 6-to-8 weeks with a hamate fracture, and the bullpen is missing Cole Sands and Kendry Rojas. Pittsburgh has its own catching mess with Joey Bart on the 10-day and Nick Gonzales got pulled Thursday with left knee discomfort, so the lineup card is worth checking before puck — sorry, before first pitch.
- Day-To-DayKendry Rojas RP — Rojas will not start against the White Sox on Thursday due to posterior elbow soreness, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins CF — Twins manager Jeremy Zoll said Saturday that Jenkins (shoulder) is "reporting improvements daily" and could begin light baseball activity in about a week, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather RP — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino SP — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan Jeffers C — Jeffers needs surgery to remove a fractured left hamate bone and is expected to be sidelined 6-to-8 weeks, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands RP — Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said that Sands (forearm) played catch on consecutive days last week and is expected to spend about a month on the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow/triceps) resumed playing light catch Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILCody Laweryson RP — Laweryson (forearm) worked around a walk to deliver a scoreless inning in his rehab appearance Saturday with Triple-A St. Paul.
- Day-To-DayNick Gonzales 3B — Gonzales was removed from Thursday's contest against the Cubs due to left knee discomfort.
- Day-To-DayKonnor Griffin SS — Griffin went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Cubs.
- Day-To-DayAnthony Solometo SP — Solometo is sidelined at Double-A Altoona with recurring left shoulder discomfort, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
- Day-To-DayOddanier Mosqueda RP — Mosqueda will not throw for a couple weeks due to left forearm inflammation, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMike Clevinger RP — Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DaySean Sullivan SP — Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Sullivan is battling right elbow soreness, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan O'Hearn RF — O'Hearn (quadriceps) worked out in the outfield ahead of Monday's game against the Cubs, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJoey Bart C — Manager Don Kelly said Bart, who is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies, is "banged up," Chris Halicke of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Pinnacle has the Pirates at -135 with a total of 8.5, which feels about right. You're paying for the Jones debut narrative and the Bradley counter, and if Jones is anything close to the guy who was striking out a batter per inning in 2024, this is a low-scoring grind. The Twins can hit when they want to. Right now they don't seem to want to.