Back on the mound

Three weeks after surgery, Taillon returns to the place where he feels ‘most comfortable’

Jameson Taillon, a 25-year-old Pirates pitcher, had plenty of time to think these past three weeks. Days of doubt and soul-searching followed after he discovered a cancerous lump while in a Cincinnati hotel room the night of May 3. He underwent surgery for testicular cancer five days later, and baseball went on the back burner for the foreseeable future.

Taillon’s timeline for a return to the pitcher’s mound was uncertain. At that time, no one would have bet he’d pitch professionally so soon after a cancer diagnosis. But on Sunday, 19 days after surgery, Taillon threw three scoreless innings in his first rehab start for Class AA Altoona. The outing was remarkably normal: six strikeouts, one hit, one walk, nine overmatched hitters.

“It was therapeutic,” Taillon said after his start in Erie. “The pitching mound — not to sound corny — is where I feel most comfortable. That’s where I spend a lot of my time. That’s my job.”

In recent days, Taillon reached out to other players who have come back to baseball after cancer. He asked for their advice. His treatment plan has not included chemotherapy, and doctors continue to administer blood tests regularly. Those close to Taillon encouraged

Christopher Millette/Special to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette At UPMC Park in Erie on Sunday, Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon threw three innings, allowing one hit, no runs, one walk and striking out six.