Awful – but hopeful – news out of Pittsburgh today, as young Pirates righty Jameson Taillon is recovering after surgery for suspected testicular cancer.
The Pirates and Taillon posted about the surgery, which came as a surprise to the outside world:
Pirates announce Jameson Taillon was treated this morning at Allegheny General Hospital for suspected testicular cancer. pic.twitter.com/JLM3KpxEBQ
— Pirates (@Pirates) May 8, 2017
— Jameson Taillon (@JTaillon19) May 8, 2017
First and foremost, positive vibes go out to Taillon in his recovery. Hopefully it was a totally successful surgery, and the rehab is quick and relatively painless. This is a reminder to all men out there: check yourself for lumps regularly. There’s no reason not to.
Setting that aside, there are baseball implications here, and we do have to mention them. The Cubs find themselves in a tight NL Central race, and the Pirates – together with literally every other club to this point – are as viable a contender as any other team. They are currently already dealing with the loss of Starling Marte for half of the season due to a PED suspension, and being without Taillon for a long period of time will sting.
The current timetable for Taillon’s recovery and return has not been announced, and, in all reality, is probably not known until further testing can be done.
The 25-year-old righty currently has a 3.31 ERA on the season, and had cemented himself as an important part of the rotation. Again: the best wishes to Taillon in his recovery, and may he be back out there and healthy soon.