Being Traded to the Yankees 'Lit a New Fire' For Jameson Taillon to Continue Proving Himself

Seated at his locker in the Yankees' clubhouse on Thursday, Jameson Taillon grabbed his phone to snap a quick photo. 

It was his first time seeing himself in pinstripes, a chance to capture a special moment for a pitcher that's dealt with quite a few obstacles thus far in his career. 

"The Yankee pinstripes are special," Taillon said in a Zoom call with reporters on Friday. "Every sports fan knows what the Yankee pinstripes mean."

In an effort to bolster its starting rotation, New York sent a package of four players to the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason, receiving Taillon—a former No. 2 overall pick—in return. 

Taillon, 29, has shown glimpses of top-of-the-rotation stuff across his first four years in the big leagues, but battles with injuries off the field have cast a shadow over his career thus far. 

As a highly-touted prospect, Taillon underwent Tommy John surgery when he was just 21 years old. Despite thinking at the time that he would accelerate through the Minor Leagues and make his big-league debut at a young age, he didn't end up making it to the Majors until he was 24.

"Then, I've had a few other setbacks," Taillon explained. "I dealt with cancer, I've dealt with a second Tommy John, so I guess the big thing through all of them is to try to find something new to focus on, try to pick up something make yourself better."

Due to his second elbow surgery, Taillon didn't throw a single pitch in 2020. The year before that, he accumulated just seven starts and 37.1 innings pitched in a Pirates uniform. That in mind, he could barely contain his excitement this offseason once he had a clean bill of health.

"This is my first Spring Training in a little while where I'm healthy, so that's one reason why I'm so excited," he said. "I love this game and I love pitching. So just being healthy, that had me excited all offseason, regardless of where I was going to be. Then I got traded to New York, and that just lit a new fire under me and then being in the building and meeting all these special people, it's reignited that fire even more."

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In Taillon's best season, with Pittsburgh in 2018, the right-hander won 14 games and posted a career-best 3.22 ERA across 191 innings pitched. That was also the first year Taillon didn't have his teammate Gerrit Cole around, taking a bigger role on the staff once Cole joined the Astros.

Now, they're reunited in pinstripes and loving every second of it. 

"It's nice to know someone has your back in the building," Taillon said of Cole. "Being in the building with [him], getting to work on our craft together, getting to watch each other's bullpens, getting to play catch together give each other feedback, that's going to be really cool."

Cole explained that the organization approached him about his former teammate this offseason leading up to the trade. Without even speaking about the product New York would be getting on the field, Cole's recommendation played a role in the eventual acquisition.

"I just spoke personally about a great friend, as if somebody asked you about one of your great friends I'm sure you give them a glowing review as well," Cole said. "I just spoke to the character of the player and how well I think he's dealt with adversity and overcome challenges."

Of course Cole isn't the only Yankee that Taillon is looking forward to playing with. He joins a roster overflowing with talent and has a lineup behind him that can support him even when he's roughed up on the mound. Position players haven't even reported to camp yet and the right-hander is beginning to look forward to his Yankee Stadium debut once the regular season begins.

After learning patience and perseverance on this long road to the Yankees organization, a healthy Taillon is focused on distancing himself from those setbacks, contending for a championship and proving himself on the national stage.

"Each trial thrown your way, you don't really have a choice but to put a brave face on, try to get better every single day," Taillon said. "Something that drives me is just knowing that I have, as far as just the baseball player in me, I have a lot of good to offer still and through each injury that's been in the back of my mind. I need to work hard to deliver on this promise because I know it's there. And I want to show people that it's there."

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