Jameson Taillon is conceding that he probably will not pitch again in the 2019.
“The season is probably a wash,” he said Thursday before the Pirates played the Cardinals in the final game of a four-game series at PNC Park. “It’s disappointing because I had high hopes coming into this year. It stinks.”
Taillon was the Pirates’ opening-day starter. Last season, he was 14-10 with a 3.20 in 32 starts. That led some analysts to label Taillon as a darkhorse candidate for the National League Cy Young Award this season.
However, Taillon made just seven starts before going on the injured list May 2 with a strained flexor tendon in his right elbow, going 2-3 with a 4.10 ERA. He was forced to stop his throwing program last weekend after experiencing pain while playing catch from 90 feet.
“I was starting to see some improvement,” Taillon said “It was nice to see the ball flying out of my hand. I thought I was doing some good things mechanically.”
Instead, Taillon will be examined Monday in New York by orthopedic surgeon David Altchek.
“We’ll get it checked out and see what he says,” Taillon said. “It feels something similar to the way it did when I first (went on the IL). It’s been three months and we’re pretty much back to where we started.”
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Tuesday that conservative treatment has run its course. The worst case for Taillon when he visits Altchek is that he finds out he will need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. He missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons while recovering from the elbow ligament reconstruction surgery.
“I’ve had some time to wrap (my head) around a lot of things this season,” Taillon said when asked if he is braced for a potential surgery. “Whatever it is, I’m just ready to start attacking it. I’ve been in a gray area for too long.”
