Jameson Taillon, a 25-year-old pitcher and emerging star for the Pirates, underwent surgery Monday morning for suspected testicular cancer, the team announced.
Taillon complained of groin discomfort over the weekend and was placed on the disabled list. A further treatment plan is pending, according to the team.
"Today, I lost a piece of my 'manhood,' " Taillon said Monday in a note posted to his Twitter account. "But, today I'm feeling like more of a man than I ever have. My journey hasn't always been the smoothest, but it is my journey, and I wouldn't change it for anything."
"Jameson has again proven to us what a strong person he is by the way in which he has reacted to this development. We are appreciative of Dr. Lyne and the staff at Allegheny General Hospital for their invaluable expertise and efforts in caring for Jameson," Pirates GM Neal Huntington said in a statement.
"We have told Jameson that our only priority is his health and well-being. His teammates, our coaches, baseball staff and entire organization will support him in his recovery in every possible way and we will keep him in our thoughts and prayers."
Testicular cancer is most common among young- and middle-aged men, and treatment is usually successful, according to the American Cancer Society; about 1 in 5,000 cases are fatal, and several professional athletes _ including Penguins winger Phil Kessel _ have continued their careers after treatment.
Kessel was diagnosed in 2006 as a 19-year-old rookie with the Boston Bruins, underwent surgery and missed about a month.
In six starts this season, Taillon has gone 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA. As a rookie in 2016, after missing most of two seasons due to elbow surgery and a sports hernia, Taillon went 5-4 with a 3.38 ERA in 18 starts.
