Jameson Taillon takes the mound for the Yankees on Tuesday night against the Angels, and he will be hoping for a different outcome when he stares in against Shohei Ohtani.
The favorite to win the AL MVP has been a sensation this season, eclipsing the 40-home run mark while putting together a strong season on the mound, and while he won’t be pitching Tuesday, he will still represent a massive hurdle for Taillon to clear.
“Going into facing him, you just have to be able to show him a lot of different things,” Taillon said. “If you’re predictable, he’s gonna be able to figure him out. He covers a lot of different things really well, so you just have to be one step ahead.”
Last time the two faced off back on June 29 in the Bronx, Ohtani blasted two home runs off of Taillon, both wowing the Yankee Stadium crowd in a rocky start for the righty. The Yankees were able to pound their current teammate Andrew Heaney to come away with the win, but Taillon hasn’t forgotten Ohtani’s prolific bat.
“He’s got game-changing power…and I remember what he did off of me,” Taillon said. “He’s a talented player and a talented hitter.”
Listen to New York sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest Yankees team gear!
As a pitcher, Taillon can barely grasp how Ohtani has been able to maintain a 3.00 ERA through 105 innings this season with 128 strikeouts, all while leading the league with 41 home runs and a .623 slugging percentage.
“It’s hard to be an average big leaguer,” Taillon said. “It’s really hard to get up here and stick. It’s super hard to just be average, and he’s well above average at two different things. It’s incredible. As a player, I just wonder what his work day looks like, what meetings he goes to, how does he prepare to hit and pitch, how much time does he spend on each, it’s fascinating to me.”
Taillon can’t afford to be star struck when he takes the mound on Tuesday to face Ohtani, or else it will likely be a repeat performance of the last time the two squared off. But he can’t help but marvel at what it takes to be successful in both facets of the game, especially at the level of Ohtani this season.
“Last week he pitched and he was either leading off or hitting second in a day game the next day,” Taillon said. “A day game after throwing the night before I’m getting a massage, getting my treatment, and he’s out there leading off. That’s fascinating.”
Perhaps the only disappointment? We won't get to see Ohtani vs. Taillon on the mound, as the phenom will not start Tuesday's game as scheduled, due to lingering soreness in his right hand and wrist after being hit by a pitch on Saturday.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
