Written by Adam Berry at MLB.com
Twenty days after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer, after losing what he described as a “piece of my “manhood” but feeling like more of a man than ever, Jameson Taillon sent a text message to Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis.
Taillon was concerned that people might judge him for what he was about to do: pitch. Before making a start for Double-A Altoona on May 28, Taillon reached out to Bettis, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in late November, for support. Was he crazy for getting back on the mound so quickly?
On Monday night at PNC Park, exactly five weeks removed from his operation, Taillon got back to being a ballplayer. The 25-year-old right-hander rejoined the Pirates’ rotation and struck out five over five scoreless innings in a 7-2 victory over Colorado.
“That’s all I really wanted this whole time was to get back in a regular routine, pitch every five days,” Taillon said afterward. “I feel like I’ve been through a lot. Hopefully there’s not much more coming my way, and I can just take the ball every fifth day.”
Taillon compared the nerves to those he felt in his Major League debut almost a year ago. After an emotional walk from the bullpen to the home dugout, his heart raced and his legs shook.
He finally calmed down after the first inning, when he struck out Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu. He worked a perfect second on eight pitches before escaping minor jams in each of his final three innings.
“When I finished my outing, I got to step back and enjoy the moment and realize that I was back,” Taillon said. “It was special.”
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