A nice day that could have been better; Jones’s homer was a 399-footer that would have been a homer in 12 ballparks, and he had a 107-mph grounder that turned into a double play. Jones is still batting just .174/.309/.261, but 19 of his 30 balls in play have been hard hit. He seems to be on his way back to being a useful outfielder for a major league team. Whether it will result in much fantasy value away from Coors Field remains to be seen.

Mike Clevinger walked three in a row after an infield single opened the inning. The walk was Jones’s second of the day, and he found a way to contribute even though he’s still batting just .125 (3-for-24) on the young season. The Guardians figure to remain patient here; Jones is out of options, so he can’t simply be sent down.

Jones will head back to the organization that drafted him. The 26-year-old outfielder bust onto the season with an outstanding 2023 campaign, but he forged just a .641 OPS with three homers in 78 games in 2024. He’s worth a look at the end of drafts, but he’ll likely only play against right-handed pitching and it’s fair to wonder if 2023 was an outlier campaign.

Jones was scratched from Saturday’s lineup, and obviously it’s not injury-related. The 26-year-old was outstanding in 2023, but struggled mightily in 2024. It’s worth noting that the Guardians trades Jones to the Rockies, so it’s a reunion of sorts for the left-handed hitter. It’s more than fair to say that Jones takes a bit of a fantasy hit not playing in Coors Field for his home games, but at least he’ll play in a competent lineup against right-handed pitching. Freeman should get a chance to play regularly as well in the outfield, but is also capable of playing second base. He could be the early replacement for Thairo Estrada.