The Pirates have prized rookie right-hander Jameson Taillon on the 15-day DL due to fatigue in his throwing shoulder. Southpaw Steven Brault will start tomorrow’s game against the Cardinals in Taillon’s place, and another move will need to be made to create space for Brault on the 40-man roster.
[Related: updated Pirates depth chart at Roster Resource]
Taillon missed all of the 2014 and 2015 seasons recovering from both Tommy John surgery and a hernia operation, and he returned to dominate over 61 2/3 IP at Triple-A. That dominance (as well as some injuries to the Pirates’ rotation) led to two separate callups this season, and Taillon acquitted himself pretty well in his first taste of big league action. The 24-year-old righty had a 3.86 ERA, 6.8 K/9 and 4.20 K/BB rate over 28 innings with the Pirates, and he looked in good form during his last start on June 29, holding Seattle to one run on six hits over six innings.
The Pirates were naturally going to be careful with Taillon’s innings given his long injury layoff and the fact that he’d never thrown more than 147 1/3 frames in any one pro season. This could very well be a precautionary DL stint based on Taillon showing the first hint of an issue, though obviously any type of shoulder-related DL stint is troubling given Taillon’s importance to Pittsburgh’s rotation plans in both the long and short term.
The Bucs’ pitching staff has been plagued by injuries (Taillon joins Gerrit Cole and Ryan Vogelsong on the DL) and underperformance from Francisco Liriano, Jeff Locke and Jon Niese. Chad Kuhl has already gotten the call from Triple-A to bolster the rotation, and one has to wonder if the Pirates will promote another top prospect by bringing Tyler Glasnow to the bigs. Glasnow has a 1.78 ERA and 10.6 K/9 over 96 Triple-A innings this season, though he has also posted a troubling 4.9 BB/9.
Brault was rated as the 15th-best minor leaguer in Pittsburgh’s system by the 2016 Baseball America Prospect Handbook. He was credited with having excellent command and an ability to limit homers and induce grounders, which helps counter an “ordinary” changeup and curve, and a fastball in the 89-91 mph range. Brault has a 3.34 ERA, 11.3 K/9 and 2.93 K/BB rate over 35 Triple-A innings this season.
FIrst Kershaw and now Taillon my fantasy league rotation is imploding slowly… and that’s the worst kind of implosion
Pick up 2 start pitchers until they get back that’s what I do all season long
I had Taillon too. I picked up Tyler Anderson (Colorado LHP). He’s been good.
This could be very much like Mark wrote. Very much a precautionary move as in a way to limit innings and ensure he is around late in the season. Could very well be the normal soreness that pitchers go through but they pitch through it. He gets extra time off going into the break and Brault gets a cup of coffee for the experience.
Phantom DL to keep him fresh and avoid shutdown questions later in the season.
And the parade of Pirate pitching prospects continues. Taillon, Kuhl, Brault, Glasnow, and there are more to follow. If I were Liriano and Locke I wouldn’t be buying a house in Pittsburgh anytime soon.
Pirates Prospects has a source that has already stated that Taillon’s DL assignment was meant to limit his innings. PP has contact with sources in the pirates organization, and would not publish speculation and hearsay.
Brault’s FB velocity exceeds that found in the prospect handbooks. It now varies between 89-94 mph. He could become the Locke or Niese replacement if he performs well.
Would be Neise if either of them as Locke has been pitching fairly well since Colorado
3 injures already for him. I hope he’s not mr glass. man, the bucs can’t catch a break lately with health…
Harvey, They are giving him a rest as he has not pitched in 2 years. This will allow longer time for the end of the year……….Trying to prevent an injury…….It will be ok !
hope so. I’m seeing a Cole, Taillon, Khul, Glasnow/Brault/, Locke rotation next year. maybe. but the team has played much better recently especially the bullpen
Starters actually have been getting some innings in. Not great yet but at least they are not killing the pen every game. Allowing some rest and the results are there. Caminero has been much better since he has come off the DL and Nicassio in the pen now are really helping..