Five weeks ago today Jameson Taillon’s life changed forever. Two days after being placed on the disabled list with groin discomfort, he had a surgical procedure done to treat testicular cancer. At this point, it was unclear when, or if, Taillon would return to the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017.
Even before being treated for testicular cancer, Taillon’s road had not been an easy one. The former second overall draft pick had already lost essentially two full seasons in 2014 and 2015 due to Tommy John Surgery and a hernia issue. These setbacks did not derail Taillon, however, and neither has this latest and most serious one.