Pirates notebook: Jameson Taillon suffers setback during rehab

Pitcher Jameson Taillon received bad news in his attempt to return from an elbow strain.

While throwing from 90 feet in the past four days, Taillon experienced a recurrence of his right forearm discomfort that has kept him on the Pittsburgh Pirates injured list since May 4.

The next step is to meet with orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Altchek, who performed Taillon’s Tommy John surgery in 2014.

Surgery is not inevitable, and Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday if surgery is recommended, it will be a group decision. That would include Taillon and Pirates management and medical personnel.

But there is concern among everyone involved.

“I believe this has run its course of conservative care,” Tomczyk said. “It’s been almost 3¹⁄₂ months and, unfortunately, we came to the same result.

“We have to get him back with the expert, the surgeon (next week) and see what’s next.”

Taillon, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft, has made only seven starts this season.

More bad news

The prognosis was no better for right fielder Gregory Polanco, who met with Altchek on Monday.

Polanco will need to rest for at least seven to 10 days with no throwing activities in his continued rehab from shoulder inflammation that resulted from his surgery in September.

Polanco, who returned to the Pirates lineup in May, has been on the injured list since June 22.

“His shoulder is strong. His shoulder is stable,” Tomczyk said. “This is most likely a result of the traumatic injury he sustained and the subsequent surgery. As of right now, he is on hold from throwing activities for the time being.”

Tomczyk said there are no current plans to shut down Polanco for the rest of the season.

“We as a medical team aren’t there yet. The doctors aren’t there yet. I don’t think Gregory is there,” he said. “He wants to give this rehab course a try and see if he can resume playing for the rest of this year.”

Good sign for Cervelli

Tomczyk’s good news during his weekly conversation with reporters concerned the lessening of catcher Francisco Cervelli’s concussion symptoms.

“He continues to make tremendous progress,” Tomczyk said. “His symptoms continue to dissipate and become less and less as the weeks go by. It’s great news.”

Cervelli, out since May 26 after six concussions over his 11-year major league career, has been cleared to resume light catching activities.

“You will see that in coming days,” Tomczyk said. “He will probably receive balls from the machine and eventually the pitcher.

“He has been cleared to hit, just not hit live in games.”

Tomczyk said he and others have spoken with Cervelli about the risks involved in playing catcher again.

“I’ve had that (talk) with him as an athlete and human being, and so have the doctors. That’s a real factor. We’re still going through that process.”

Cervelli was moved to the 60-day injured list Wednesday to make room for the return of pitcher Keone Kela. Cervelli is eligible to come off the list Friday, but he still faces a rehab assignment in the minors if and when he is cleared by doctors to play in games.