Pirates pitcher Taillon upbeat in cancer fight

Jameson Taillon felt like he was in a movie, as if he was watching somebody else’s life change and not his own.

The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher felt something “odd” in his groin and alerted trainers while on the road earlier this month in Cincinnati. Two days later, there the 25-year-old was getting pulled aside by a doctor and being told there’s a chance he has testicular cancer.

“My heart was racing,” Taillon said. Just not for long. Taillon’s grown accustomed to adversity thanks to a career peppered with unforeseen obstacles, from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2014 to sports hernia surgery in 2015 that threatened to sidetrack his young career completely. He finally arrived in the majors last summer, and a bout with cancer isn’t going to stop him.

“My immediate thought (after the diagnosis) was what next? What can I do to get better?” Taillon said.

The first step was surgery conducted on May 8, a procedure that sounded more frightening in his mind than in reality. He was home by the end of the day and is already back playing catch and doing light cardio while he awaits further blood tests to determine whether there is any cancer remaining in his system.

This is not how he envisioned his first full season in the majors going. He was 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA in his first six starts, pitching with a maturity of a guy who’s been around far longer than a few months. Call it the residue of the earlier struggles that delayed his arrival in the big leagues.

“I wasn’t going to let this stop me or put me down in the dumps,” he said.

Taillon was overwhelmed by the response when he posted news of his diagnosis on social media. Cyclist Lance Armstrong, a testicular cancer survivor and founder of the Livestrong Foundation, has reached out. Former big league first baseman John Kruk, another survivor, has called too. Taillon is also exchanging texts with Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis, who was diagnosed last fall and is still undergoing treatment.

The attention has been a little weird. Yet Taillon is trying to embrace the opportunity and raise awareness. It’s not the most comfortable subject but one he’s learned could be vitally important.

“I don’t think guys are nearly aware enough as they should be,” he said. “I’ll find a way to speak out, be an advocate for early detection.”

Taillon added he’s received nothing but positive news about his long-term prospects. He declined to put any sort of timetable on his return pending more test results but the fact it’s even a subject for discussion is a welcome development.

“One of my big baseball philosophies ... if I put runners on base, I can’t worry about how they got there,” he said. “I can’t worry about how I got here, just worry about the plan going forward.”

Watching his teammates scuffle without him hasn’t been easy. Taillon admits he’s “totally out of control” sitting on his couch. He’s confident he won’t have to remain there much longer. It’s a mindset that’s hardly a surprise to Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle.

“He made a decision a long time ago to own whatever happens to him, to not pick excuses and not pick at things, to own it and work with it and do the best he can with it,” Hurdle said. “This is another opportunity for him to do just that and he’ll come back better and not bitter. He’s special.”

David Price knew better than lobby for a chance to go out for a third inning after struggling through the first two in the Boston ace’s first minor league rehab start.

“I’ve got to do as I’m told,” Price said. “If I don’t like it, pitch better.”

Though saying he felt no soreness in his strained left pitching elbow that has sidelined him since late February, Price didn’t appear entirely right during a brief stint with Triple-A Pawtucket at Buffalo on Friday night.

The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner was yanked after a three-run second inning, in which he gave up four hits, including a leadoff homer. Overall, he allowed five hits, struck out four and gave up a walk during a 65-pitch performance, about 25 short of what the Red Sox were expecting.

“It’s not the way I drew it up obviously,” Price said. “But to be able to go out there and throw 30-plus pitches in both of those innings and still to feel the way I felt after walking off the mound in that second inning, that’s good.”

The 31-year-old star insisted he still feels on track to rejoin the Red Sox next week.

“I feel great right now,” Price said. “I definitely want to get back out there and I’ll leave that decision to management.”

Red Sox manager John Farrell had time to watch Price’s first inning before Boston’s game at Oakland.

“There was plenty of swing and miss. It looked like there was plenty of power,” Farrell said. “He’s got a night of work ahead of him.”

Price threw 41 strikes and 24 balls. It’s unclear how fast his pitches were because of technical difficulties involving the radar gun.

Calling it “a work in progress,” Price acknowledged he wasn’t entirely in command of all of his pitches.

Price dismissed a question of what some might make of his numbers.

“I’m not worried about the observers and their opinions,” he said. “That doesn’t mean anything to me.”

It was a short night for Price’s long-awaited debut and after his first scheduled start at Pawtucket was rained out on Sunday. He instead threw 75 pitches in a simulated game.

The trouble on Friday began in the second inning when leadoff hitter Raffy Lopez hit a 2-0 pitch over the 371-foot mark in left-center field. With the bases loaded and one out, Price gave up two runs on Jake Elmore’s bloop single into right field.

Elmore tested Price in leading off the game. He fouled off 12 pitches before lining a 3-2 pitch into right-center for a double. Price bore down to strike out the next three batters on 15 pitches.

Price had a better week from a personal perspective in celebrating the birth of his son, Xavier, on Tuesday. After welcoming his son home on Friday morning, Price flew in to Buffalo. He then left the stadium to catch a flight back to Boston while the game was still being played.

There’s plenty of focus being placed on Price, who is entering the second year of a $217 million contract. The Red Sox are off to an inconsistent start despite spending the offseason improving what was an already strong pitching staff. Aside from Price, the Red Sox’s rotation includes last year’s AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello (2-5) and they added Chris Sale (4-2).

Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval also made his rehab assignment debut by going 0 for 3 in a DH role. Out since April 24 with a sprained right knee, Sandoval popped out to second, lined out to left and then grounded out to third.

Pawtucket manager Kevin Boles said Sandoval could see time at third base on Saturday depending on how his knee feels.