Sounders injury update: Joevin Jones ruled out

Already missing three likely starters as they enter one of the busiest portions of their schedule, the Seattle Sounders will also be without Joevin Jones on Wednesday. Jones was listed as “out” on the injury report ahead of the Real Salt Lake match, marking the third straight game he’ll have missed since suffering a sprained ankle in a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers on Sept. 23. It was not immediately clear when Jones might be able to return.

The Sounders are surely hoping to have Jones back sooner than later. They are already set to be missing Gustav Svensson, Raúl Ruidíaz and Xavier Arreaga for the next five matches while they are away on international duty and subsequent quarantines.

Further exacerbating Jones’ absence is the schedule congestion. The Sounders have five matches over the next 15 days and will need to find off-days for some of their starters. That’s especially true for someone like Jordan Morris, who the Sounders have been reluctant to start on less than four days’ rest.

Although both this game and Sunday’s match against Los Angeles FC are on four days’ rest, next Wednesday’s match against the Colorado Rapids would be on three days’ rest. Having Jones back by then would be especially useful.