ERIE, Ohio _ Jameson Taillon, a 25-year-old Pirates pitcher, had plenty of time to think these past three weeks. Days of doubt and soul-searching followed after he discovered a cancerous lump while in a Cincinnati hotel room the night of May 3. He underwent surgery for testicular cancer five days later, and baseball went on the back burner for the foreseeable future.
Taillon's timeline for a return to the pitcher's mound was uncertain. At that time, no one would have bet he'd pitch professionally so soon after a cancer diagnosis. But on Sunday, 19 days after surgery, Taillon threw three scoreless innings in his first rehab start for Class AA Altoona. The outing was remarkably normal: six strikeouts, one hit, one walk, nine over-matched hitters.
"It was therapeutic," Taillon said after his start in Erie. "The pitching mound _ not to sound corny _ is where I feel most comfortable. That's where I spend a lot of my time. That's my job."
In recent days, Taillon reached out to other players who have come back to baseball after cancer. He asked for their advice. His treatment plan has not included chemotherapy, and doctors continue to administer blood tests regularly. Those close to Taillon encouraged him.
"My dad basically just said, 'You're a baseball player. You've played since you were little. If it's safe to be out there, I think that's what you should do. But if it's going to provide stress and not help you through this time, I wouldn't do it,' " Taillon said. "So here I am. That's the answer."
Taillon isn't a stranger to injury. He missed chunks of time in the minor leagues because of Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery and a hernia surgery. The first starts after those injuries felt different than this one, he said. Since he wasn't out for long this time, his pitches were sharper, which allowed him to relax and soak in the emotions surrounding the game.
"The past couple weeks have been a roller coaster," he said. "I definitely appreciated being out there."
Taillon was away from baseball for only a week after surgery. Doctors cleared him to play catch in mid-May and then return to the mound for regular bullpen sessions last week in Atlanta. Taillon admitted he thinks it will "creep some people out" that he's back so quickly. He offered reassurance that doctors have cleared him and helped map out every next step.
"It's not a major surgery," Taillon said. "They didn't cut through any muscle. I feel good. I think it's the right thing to do. It just depends on the person. There's a protocol for Tommy John surgery. There's a book on it, and people do the same thing (to recover). For something like this, everyone is going to react differently. There's no playbook for it. This is our path."
Taillon, who drove to and from Erie on Sunday with Pirates athletic trainer Bryan Housand, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday in Pittsburgh. He's not sure where his next start will be. He expects there will "definitely" be at least one more start in the minors.
Before the game, Taillon walked to the bullpen with Curve catcher Jackson Williams and received an ovation from the crowd lining the wall. One fan wearing a Pirates cap held a sign with the message "[hashtag]JamoStrong" on it. Taillon smiled and said he appreciated the support.
"I'm excited to see what it would be like if I'm at PNC Park for my first (start)," he said.
The start itself contained little drama. Taillon tossed 47 pitches, which, if you include the 20-pitch pregame session and between-innings pitches, represented a leap from his 35-pitch bullpen Thursday. He threw first-pitch strikes in seven of 11 at-bats. His fastball velocity sat around 93 mph, which is typical for Taillon, and he used his full complement of off-speed pitches.
With only two runners reaching base, they skirted the traffic on the bases without trouble. The only navigation issue he had occurred after he left the game. The clubhouse at UPMC Park is beyond the center-field wall. When Taillon reached the warning track, he could not find the exit. He looked around, asking the outfielders for help, and finally found the door and departed.
Outside the clubhouse, Taillon met with a fan from Erie, Ohio who had Stage 3 testicular cancer and underwent 16 weeks of chemotherapy. They spent an inning talking _ Taillon, the man and his children. Since the surgery, Taillon has said he's been lucky. He has access to world-class doctors. He has insurance. His cancer was detected in the early stages. But there's a community he now is included in, Taillon said Sunday, and "it's cool to share these stories."
"It's a part of who I am now," he said. "I'm more than happy to talk to people and share my experience."
