Pirates Injury Report: Taillon To Meet With Doctor Monday, Polanco “came back too early”

A few weeks ago, it looked like Jameson Taillon and Gregory Polanco would suit up for the Pirates soon. Those hopes have since been squashed.

Taillon was shut down from his throwing program this week, effectively ending his 2019 season.

“This season is probably a wash for me,” said Taillon Thursday. “It’s disappointing. I had really high hopes coming into this year.”

Taillon appeared to be on the path back to the mound earlier this month when new imagining showed healing in his right elbow. At the time, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said surgery was not being discussed.

Taillon started a throwing program earlier in the month, but said he felt something similar to what he felt originally.

He had not been throwing since being placed on the injury list with a right elbow flexor tendon strain on May 4.

“We had to throw to test it,” Taillon said. “...At some point, you have to figure out where you’re at. Symptoms just crept back in.”

Those symptoms are similar to what he originally experienced, so he hopes it’s still just a flexor strain. If it turns out to be the elbow, Tommy John surgery is an option.

“We’re not 100% sure, but holding out hope and crossing my fingers that it’s just the flexor,” Taillon said.

He has an appointment scheduled with Dr. David Altchek on Monday. Taillon says that after months of being in a grey area of what direction to go in, he’s excited to get a plan in place.

“I’ve come back from a lot worse than this,” Taillon said. “...I’m gonna find a way to become better because of this.”

Gregory Polanco returned to the clubhouse Thursday after having his rehab assignment halted a week ago.

Polanco has been on the IL since June 19 with inflammation in his surgically repaired left shoulder. When asked if he maybe came back too early following his offseason procedure, Polanco responded, “there is no maybe. Obviously I came back too early.”

“I wanted to play. I wanted to help the team,” said Polanco.

Polanco says the plan is for him to stretch for about 10 days before he picks up a bat again. His status for a 2019 return is unknown at this time.

“This time, I want to be 100 percent,” Polanco said.