Report: White Sox pitcher Nate Jones continuing rehab

Mar 28, 2014; Birmingham, Al, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Nate Jones (65) throws to a Birmingham Barons batter at Regions Field. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Scott Merkin of whitesox.com wrote in an article about the rehab of Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Nate Jones, who has been out of action since April 3 following back surgery.

In his article on the official White Sox web site, Merkin wrote:

"“Nate Jones is still in the expected stage of getting functional as a person before moving into baseball activities following a microdiscectomy performed on his back. But Jones is making definite progress.”"

It is good to see Jones is making continued progress, but it still also seems he has a lot of work ahead of him before he can think of stepping back on a major league mound anytime soon.

Jones who was playing with the injury, it seemed, at the start of the season, wasn’t pitching up to his potential in 2014. Even in spring training when he lost the closer battle to Matt Lindstrom, who is on the DL as well for around the next three months with an injury of his own.

Jones just didn’t seem or pitch like the pitcher he used to be.

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In two appearances this season Jones didn’t record a single out, allowing four earned runs in two hits and three walks against the Minnesota Twins.

Jones has played parts of three seasons in the Majors, all for the White Sox, with a career ERA of 3.55 in 137 games (149.2 innings).

Before this season began, I was rooting for Jones to be the closer, but none of that worked out. Now hopefully he can recover back to 100 percent, and possibly be the type of pitcher he was in 2012 who had an ERA of 2.69 in 65 games (71.2 innings).

Only time and recovery will tell what step Jones takes next in his career with the White Sox.

Hopefully it is a step forward.