Lefty Jones out for 2020 after freak knee injury

ARLINGTON -- Rangers left-handed pitcher James Jones suffered a freak injury and underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. He is expected to be sidelined until Spring Training next year.

Jones suffered the injury when he tripped over one of his son’s toys while he and his family remained in Arizona after Spring Training was suspended. Jones was in big league camp on a non-roster invite before being returned to the Minor Leagues on March 11.

Jones was an outfielder with the Mariners in 2014-15 and was converted to pitching after being acquired by the Rangers on Nov. 16, 2015. He underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery on Aug. 24, 2016, and missed almost all of the following season.

He made significant progress last year, going 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 45 games between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Nashville. He was also selected as the 2019 winner of the True Ranger Award, going to the player who best represents the organization’s true values.

The Rangers viewed him as left-handed bullpen depth with a real chance to pitch in the big leagues this year before suffering the knee injury.