On May 8, Jameson Taillon had surgery for suspected testicular cancer, a suspicion that was confirmed by post-operative testing. On Sunday, just twenty days later, he’s scheduled to make a rehab start for Altoona.
When he got the diagnosis, Taillon was in the process of establishing himself as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. In six starts, he was 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA that was inflated by a shelling in his last start before the surgery. His major league debut was delayed probably by two years; he wasn’t able to pitch in either 2014 or 2015, first due to Tommy John surgery and then surgery on a sports hernia. In spite of the layoff from game action, Taillon from his first start upon returning was a better pitcher than he was before the layoff. His return from cancer surgery even further establishes him as a truly tough customer.
It’s unknown how many rehab starts Taillon will make before returning to the majors.