Tim Benz: Jared Jones was never going to go for a perfect game. But other questions linger

The way that Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly talked about it, the idea that Jared Jones was going to get a shot at attempting to complete a perfect game Wednesday night was simply never going to happen.

“There’s just no way,” Kelly said after Jones was pulled following six spotless innings.

“Coming off a surgery and everything, you just can’t push him there.”

The 24-year-old right-hander retired the first 18 Atlanta Braves he faced in just his eighth start after an internal brace surgery 15 months ago.

Despite the allure of chasing a perfect game, Jones seemed to understand why he was pulled.

“I’m on, what, my eighth start off of surgery? I completely understand it, and it is what it is,” Jones said after the game.

18 up, 18 down

Jared Jones is perfect two times through the order ???? pic.twitter.com/Grgeay2Kcp

— MLB (@MLB) July 9, 2026

Jones was pulled after the top of the sixth inning. He struck out eight Atlanta hitters without walking any. He did so by throwing just 77 pitches. In his previous seven outings, Jones’ high for pitches came June 27 in Cincinnati when he topped out at 81. His high for innings in 2026 was five in Houston on June 4.

Given those numbers and the quotes from Kelly and Jones, he was never going to go the full nine innings even if he stayed perfect through eight. And, seeing as how the Pirates ended up losing 3-0, who is to say nine perfect innings would’ve been enough?

So if Jones hunting for a perfect game was never even a debate to begin with, here are a few other debatable points from Wednesday’s defeat.

• If not then, when?: This is the second solid effort in a row for Jones. Last week in Philadelphia, Jones tossed four innings while allowing only one run. He seems to be finding himself after the long recovery.

But consider that his first start back from injury against Minnesota on May 29 was a 77-pitch effort, as was this one against the Braves. Yet, Kelly said this game was supposed to top out at five innings and 80 pitches.

Forget pushing it to nine innings or 120 pitches. When does he get to 90? Or 95? I mean, he has been between 74-81 pitches in every appearance so far — except the three-inning anomaly that occurred when he was hit on the elbow by a line drive against Colorado on June 21.

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If the Pirates aren’t willing to push the envelope beyond 80 pitches when he was cruising like he was on Wednesday, how long before it will be OK?

And if the notion of sending him out for the seventh was taboo at 77 pitches in this start when he was untouchable, what was he doing grinding through 77 pitches in 4 2/3 innings against the Twins when he allowed five runs in his return start two months ago?

• Speaking of the seventh: I know the Pirates are leery of ramping up pitchers frequently — be that warming up in the bullpen, or taking the mound repeatedly, inning-after-inning in a start.

But even if Kelly wasn’t chasing the perfect game for Jones, would sending him out for the seventh have been that big of an ask?

At least have him start the inning against Michael Harris II and the switch-hitting Ozzie Albies, who has a harder time with righties (.258 coming into the game) than lefties (.292). Then, if necessary, call for Mason Montgomery to face left-handers Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin next in the lineup.

Or, you can just see if Jones can get through the seventh, then go to Montgomery or one of the right-handers in the eighth. Instead, Albies broke up the perfect game with one out in the seventh, and Montgomery was spent with two more innings to cover.

Dennis Santana came in for the eighth and allowed a two-run home run to former Pirates catcher Joey Bart.

Joey Bart hits a go-ahead homer in his return to Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/kzHvPSnD5a

— MLB (@MLB) July 9, 2026

That would prove to be the difference in the game.

If Kelly doesn’t want to debate the chase of a perfect game, fine. What about just winning the game?

• Why isn’t Joey Bart still a Pirate?: Since he left, Endy Rodriguez has found his way back to the injured list, Henry Davis’ average is still at .153, and Hunter Stratton has given up three hits and two runs in his only outing since being the return in the trade.

If you’re looking for an answer to this question, I don’t have one.

• Why didn’t Carmen Mlodzinski come on in the eighth instead of Santana?: After all, isn’t Mlodzinski the usual piggyback pitcher for Jones?

Oh, wait, I remember. Mlodzinski was burned Tuesday night during a 12-4 blowout. That seems like a regrettable decision now, doesn’t it?

• What happened to Atlanta’s guy?: By the way, Atlanta’s Grant Holmes wasn’t that much different Wednesday night. He got yanked after five innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits and one walk against five strikeouts.

The difference is Atlanta’s 3.13 ERA out of the bullpen is the second-best in all of Major League Baseball. The relief staff is 21-9.

The Pirates’ bullpen is 19-18 with an ERA of 4.43.