Nate Jones is a former professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on January 28, 1986, in Butler, Kentucky, and attended Northern Kentucky University. Jones was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2007 MLB draft.
Jones made his MLB debut on April 8, 2012, for the Chicago White Sox. He quickly established himself as a reliable relief pitcher, appearing in 65 games in his rookie season and posting a 2.39 earned run average (ERA) with 65 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched. Jones continued to be a key member of the White Sox bullpen over the next few seasons, appearing in 70 games in 2013 and 2014 and posting a combined ERA of 2.67.
Injuries began to hamper Jones' career in 2015, as he missed significant time due to elbow and back issues. He appeared in just 19 games that season, posting a 3.32 ERA. Jones bounced back in 2016, appearing in 71 games and posting a 2.29 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched.
Jones continued to battle injuries over the next few seasons, appearing in just 11 games in 2017 and 2018 due to elbow and arm issues. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 and missed the entire season as a result. Jones returned to the mound in 2020, appearing in 21 games for the White Sox and posting a 3.48 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched.
Jones signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds for the 2021 season but struggled in his limited appearances, posting a 7.20 ERA in 10 innings pitched. He was released by the Reds in May 2021 and subsequently signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jones appeared in 10 games for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate but was released in July 2021.
Overall, Jones appeared in 284 games over his MLB career, posting a 3.12 ERA with 293 strikeouts in 284.2 innings pitched. He was known for his fastball, which regularly reached the upper 90s, and his slider, which he used as his primary secondary pitch. Despite his injury issues, Jones was a reliable and effective relief pitcher when healthy and played an important role in the Chicago White Sox bullpen for several seasons.
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