Wednesday evening will be a particularly special one for Jameson Taillon, who will not just be making his Yankee debut, but will be taking the mound in a meaningful game for the first time in nearly two years.
Taillon, who the Yanks traded for this past offseason, missed all of last year due to a second Tommy John surgery, and is ready to face the Orioles in Wednesday’s season finale in what will be his first appearance in a big league game since May 1, 2019.
“The build-up goes back to August of 2019 when I had my surgery,” Taillon told reporters during a Zoom call on Tuesday. “You could go back even further almost two years to May of that year. It feels like a big multi-year build-up.”
Taillon’s return is a bit later than expected, as the Yankees elected to skip Taillon in the first turn of the rotation in an effort to ease the righty back into action after throwing just 37.1 innings over the past two seasons, and for Taillon, an extra week of anticipation is nothing compared to the waiting he has already had to endure over his career.
“I’m excited,” Taillon said. “Watching the guys go one turn through the rotation, what’s five more days to add to the wait? I’m excited to get out there and just start knocking out starts.”
Taillon was the Pirates’ Opening Day starter in 2019, and has already made a return from Tommy John surgery in the past, not to mention a return from testicular cancer as well, but being on the mound at Yankee Stadium after a long layoff will still bring emotions, which he will have to combat when he takes on Baltimore Wednesday night.
“I’m sure there’s gonna be some nerves,” Taillon said. “I’m pretty familiar with getting those though. I’ve never pitched at Yankee Stadium or anything like that, but I’ve pitched in front of some big crowds and I know how to handle that and use that to my advantage. There’s definitely going to be some feels. More than anything it’s just all just positive emotion. Really grateful to have a second chance at this and my elbow feels good. A couple years ago I wasn’t sure if I would ever be on this stage again, so I’m just embracing all of that.”
As far as where this debut start will rank among his previous returns, toeing the slab in the Bronx will be near the top.
“This is up there with all of those,” Taillon said. “It’s very different and exciting…I’m just excited to get on the Yankee Stadium mound and go to work. I’m ready to put the rehab in the past and ready to contribute to this team and compete and take the ball every fifth day.”
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