Pirates' Jameson Taillon hopes to throw on flat ground during road trip
Jameson Taillon, who hasn’t pitched in a game or even picked up a baseball to throw it since May 1, said Sunday he plans to start an off-to-the-side throwing program, maybe as soon as the upcoming road trip.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will be in Houston and Milwaukee, starting Tuesday through next Sunday.
Taillon doesn’t know what to expect, but he’s excited to put his right elbow strain to the test..
“I’ve kind of just been sitting here hoping it feels good and you never really know until you pick up a ball and throw,” he said. “That will be exciting to really get that feedback.
“I might throw every other day for a little bit and progress from there. Let the body do the talking.”
Taillon, who was the Pirates’ opening day starter and made six other starts in his regular turn, hasn’t pitched since he allowed two home runs in 6 1/3 innings May 1 against the Texas Rangers. He said he first felt discomfort in his elbow midway through spring training.
“I could pitch through it. I just told myself if it gets any worse I’ll have to speak up,” he said. “If it gets any better, great.
“I was in that middle ground, hoping I’d get a sign it would get better or worse. In Texas, after I took that start, it got way worse so I said it’s time to get that out of my mind and let the trainers do their job.”
In 37 1/3 innings, Taillon is 2-3, with a 4.10 ERA and 1.125 WHIP.
Inactivity “stinks,” he said.
“I take it kind of personally. It’s not fun watching other people do your job,” he said. “But after a certain point, you just distance yourself from that and you just try to focus on getting healthy and getting right.”
He might take a first step in that direction before the Pirates return to PNC Park on July 1.
“Best case,” he said, “I pick up a ball and start throwing and progress from there, healthy in the second half.”
Taillon is one of 12 Pirates pitchers who have spent time on the injured list this season.
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Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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