Kyle Nicolas drops 1-word reaction to Pirates ace Jared Jones' post ahead of 2025 Spring Training

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones is getting ready for that time of the year once again. After an impressive rookie season, he and Kyle Nicolas are expected to play important roles in the Pirates' young pitching staff.

Jones, who has become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, posted on Instagram on Thursday to get fans hyped about the 2025 season.

The post features a clip of Jones throwing hard on the mound, accompanied by a caption indicating he's gearing up for the season.

"About that time," he wrote.

Nicolas noticed Jones' post and left a one-word comment to show his support for the young pitcher.

"Duhhhh," he wrote.

Kyle Nicolas Comment

In his rookie year, Jared Jones registered a 6-8 record with a 4.14 earned run average, though he often performed better than those numbers suggest. Kyle Nicolas pitched in 51 games last season, finishing with a 3.95 ERA.

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to field young players, but this hasn't yet translated into a ton of success on the field. Both Jones and Nicolas will aim to assist 2024 National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes in transforming the franchise.

Jared Jones to stay in rotation, according to Pirates insider

The Pittsburgh Pirates have some big decisions to make ahead of the 2025 season, and deciding what to do with Jared Jones is at the top of the list. On his podcast, DK's Daily Shot of Pirates, insider Dejan Kovacevic believes the team should keep Jones in the rotation amid the team's current need for a closer.

"You would not take someone who has shown he can go onto a Big League mound and mow opponents down the way Jones did for the better part of the first half of 2024, and then arbitrarily decide he should be a closer because of a team need," Kovacevic said.

Kovacevic believes that instead of converting Jones int a closer, David Bednar will end up being the team's closer "by default" to start the season. After back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2022 and 2023, Bednar is coming off a rough year in 2024, posting a 5.77 ERA with a 3-8 record and 23 saves.