Nate Jones

Jones simply can't stay healthy. After looking like a potential ninth-inning option over the offseason, Jones wound up saving just a single game in 13 appearances before suffering a season-ending flexor tear in late April. He recorded a decent 3.48 ERA in his 10.1 innings of work, though his 10:7 K:BB and 6.12 FIP weren't exactly encouraging. Even if he'd posted great numbers over that small sample, the season would have been largely a disappointment for Jones, though, as he's now been limited by injuries to just 52 innings over the last three seasons combined. It wouldn't be the biggest surprise in the world to see Jones earn a handful of saves this season given his 3.12 career ERA. Considering his injury history and age (34), however, fantasy owners in the majority of formats can afford to wait for him to prove he's healthy and effective, something which may never happen.

Jones' funky delivery is fun to watch and leads to plenty of strikeouts. It also leads to arm troubles, which is why he has pitched 42 innings over the past two seasons. In fact, after debuting with back-to-back 70-inning seasons, Jones has only eclipsed 30 innings one time since the end of the 2013 campaign. Even so, Chicago picked up his $4.7 million option for the 2019 season. He could close for the team, though the recent acquisitions of Alex Colome and Kelvin Herrera make the path to saves tougher than it was in September. While 2016 was an amazing year for Jones, it was the only great year in the past five. Do not overreach for what could be, but it's perfectly justifiable to take a shot at the end of the draft or auction in AL-only leagues as a flier.

Jones is a walking MASH unit. He has had back surgery, nerve repositioning surgery and Tommy John surgery over the past four seasons. When he has been able to pitch, he has flashed very closer-worthy skills with strikeouts aplenty and has done a great job of keeping the ball out of the nitro zone. The problem has been he has pitched more than 20 innings just one time in the previous four seasons, as his delivery has always been tough on the eyes and a disaster waiting to happen. He is in the final guaranteed year of a three-year deal he signed back in 2016 that pays him a scant $4 million with affordable buyouts to allow Chicago or any team that wants to take the risk to easily get out of the commitment. Jones is expected to be ready for spring training where he'll have to compete with Juan Minaya for the closer role.

Although 2016 was his first full season after undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of 2014, Jones looked like nothing had ever happened to his elbow. Jones held up for 70.2 innings over the course of the season (his most since 2013) and maintained an excellent 2.29 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. To go with that, the right-hander continued his high-strikeout ways, fanning 80 batters during that time to go with his career-best 1.9 BB/9. His FIP also suggests that his success is fairly sustainable, as 2.99 is still a very solid mark. The fact that Jones is sitting behind David Robertson in the pecking order for saves is one of the few negatives in his outlook heading into the 2017 campaign, although Robertson is a good bet to be traded during the season if he is not dealt this winter. With that in mind, Jones is a solid bet to be closing games at some point on the south side this season, assuming he is not also dealt as part of the White Sox full-scale rebuild.

Jones returned to action in early August after missing a season and a half with elbow issues. Despite the layoff, he was still able to touch 100 mph with his fastball and he continued to flash an unhittable slider. That slider was his knockout punch, and he should take on a more prominent role in the bullpen as he gets further away from his August 2014 injury. Jones could be in the mix for saves if something happens to closer David Robertson, but his value will likely be limited to leagues that reward holds if Robertson remains healthy in 2016.

Jones appeared to be the heir apparent to the White Sox's closer role after the club traded Addison Reed to the Diamondbacks in the offseason. However, he was placed on the disabled list on April 4 and did not pitch again before undergoing Tommy John surgery in August. The surgery likely puts him out for most, if not all, of the 2015 campaign.

Jones struggled at the start of the 2013 season, but he became one of the bullpen's key late-inning men after Jesse Crain and Matt Thornton departed via trade. Opposing batters were hitting .280 off him by the end of May, and his ERA sat on the wrong side of 6.00. He then went on a three-month run where he struck out 60 in 43.1 innings and posted a 2.03 ERA over 38 appearances. He wound up leading the bullpen with 78 innings pitched, and he pitched almost exclusively in the eighth and ninth innings starting in July. Jones maintained his high-90s (occasional 100 mph) velocity into September, but control issues returned in the season's final month as the gas tank neared empty. With Addison Reed out of the picture following an offseason trade to Arizona, Jones could enter spring training as the favorite to replace him as the team's closer.

Jones came from almost nowhere to become one of the White Sox's most frequently used relievers in 2012. A high-90s fastball (often 100-plus mph) and good curveball helped Jones make the jump from Double-A to the Opening Day roster, but his control problems persisted into the majors. He walked 10.6 percent of the hitters he faced, but he missed enough bats to post an 8-0 record and sub-3.00 ERA. Expect his heavy usage to continue in 2013, but he will need to keep the strikeout rate up to keep the run rate down barring improvement in his walk rate.

Jones returned to the bullpen in 2011 in his first season at Double-A Birmingham after spending 2010 in the rotation with High-A Winston-Salem, and the hard thrower upped his K/9IP from 6.4 to 9.5. His curveball has been rated as the best in the organization, but he will probably have to test it at Triple-A Charlotte before he receives a trial in the majors.