PHOTO: Pirates' Paul Skenes & Jared Jones enjoy serene fishing trip on their day off
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching duo Paul Skenes and Jared Jones have been two bright spots for the club this season. They will surely be the face of the pitching rotation for years to come and it seems they are bonding well both on and off the field.
On Monday, the duo engaged in a fishing expedition, with Skenes sharing a glimpse of it on his social media. In the photo shared, Jones can be seen holding a fish caught by his fishing rod.
On the mound, both pitchers have been exceptional for the Pirates. While Skenes is receiving praise from all corners, Jones has also done well.
Jones, who has been a workhorse for the Pirates this season, holds a 3-5 record, posting a 3.55 ERA and allowing 12 walks against 70 strikeouts. On the other hand, Paul Skenes holds a 2-0 record, posting a 2.45 ERA and allowing five walks against 30 strikeouts.
Jared Jones' assessment of rookie Paul Skenes: He's a show-stopper
Ever since Paul Skenes made his debut, it has caught the baseball community's attention and who better to assess than his fellow pitcher, Jared Jones, who gets to watch him up close?
Jones knew Skenes was going to be a big hit when he was on the major league mound during an interaction he had on MLB Network Radio in early April.
"He's electric," fellow right-hander Jones said of Skenes. "There's nothing more you can say than that. It's just a really electric arm, and when he's on the mound, everybody just stops and watches."
Like Skenes, Jones himself is a prospect within the Pirates organization, having opted to turn pro instead of playing college baseball. He was selected in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft. However, he only made his debut on Mar. 30 and since then, he has shown major league caliber in his pitching.
When asked to make a comparison between him and Skenes, Jones said:
"We both have that same mentality," Jones said. "When we're both up on the mound, we just feel like we're just going to come up here and shove."
Now it remains to be seen how both of these pitchers fare in the coming years and maybe glory can finally return to Pittsburgh.