INDIANAPOLIS — Jameson Taillon passed the next small step in his return back to the Pirates after having surgery for testicular cancer, throwing a 25-pitch bullpen session prior to Triple-A Indianapolis’ game on Sunday.
Taillon threw all pitches and labeled the session “completely normal,” adding the pitches felt crisp and he physically felt good.
In his second rehab start, Taillon allowed three hits in five scoreless innings for Indianapolis on Friday, striking out six and walking none.
And the bounceback physically from that start has been positive.
“I feel strong,” Taillon said. “As strong as I’ve been all year. Recovering well and got my normal between start routine done. Everything is good here.”
Taillon will make a third rehab start, starting for Indianapolis at Toledo on Wednesday. He allowed three hits in five scoreless innings on Friday against Gwinnett. After that start, Taillon said he felt ready physically and mentally to return to the Pirates. But ultimately it was decided one more minor league rehab start would be more beneficial.
“I would have liked to have gone back,” Taillon said. “But that’s anybody when you see your teammates playing, you want to be there to help them out. As it stands now, I’m not built up enough to go to a major league game. The adrenaline is different (in Triple-A) than (in major leagues), you’re facing different hitters. I need to be built up to go 7 (innings) and 100 (pitches). So that will be the next step.”
Taillon threw 68 pitches in his five-inning outing on Friday, after throwing 47 pitches for Double-A Altoona in his first rehab start. He will next look to push closer to that 7 inning, 100-pitch workload in his start at Toledo on Wednesday.
