Jameson Taillon treated for testicular cancer

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made the sobering announcement that starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, one of the team’s brightest young stars, is being treated for testicular cancer. According to the team’s statement, Taillon received treatment this morning at Allegheny General Hospital, and he will presumably be unavailable for the foreseeable future. Taillon has also posted a statement on Twitter, in which he vows to continue to “use every setback as an opportunity for growth” and says that he is “feeling more like a man than I ever have”. On behalf of Bucs Dugout, we all wish him a speedy recovery.

Taillon last pitched on May 3, and would have been the scheduled starter for tonight’s game against the Dodgers. Instead, Trevor Williams will make his first start of the 2017 season.

No specific information about Taillon’s condition is currently available, but survival rates for testicular cancer are generally good, with the National Cancer Institute reporting a five-year survival rate of 95.1% in a data set from 2007-2013. They also estimate that 8,850 cases will be diagnosed this year, a total which comprises 0.5% of all cancers.

Taillon is the second MLB player to be diagnosed with testicular cancer this year - Rockies pitcher Chad Betts is currently on the disabled list following a recurrence of his cancer in March. Other prominent players who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer before returning to enjoy long and productive careers include John Kruk, Mike Lowell, and Scott Schoeneweis. One can only hope that the same is true for Taillon.