6:52PM: The belief is that Taillon will need some type of surgery, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets. Flexor damage is the better-case scenario, rather than elbow surgery, as a flexor procedure wouldn’t likely keep Taillon from being ready for the start of the 2020 season.
10:03AM: The Pirates’ hopes for a competitive 2019 season are looking rockier than ever as key players Jameson Taillon and Gregory Polanco struggle to turn the corner. Both are facing increasingly worrisome injury situations, as they discussed this morning with reporters including Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link) and The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel (links to Twitter).
Taillon’s situation appears to be the one with the most at stake. We heard some ominous news yesterday as his rehab was halted. The additional word out of the Bucs’ locker room doesn’t provide much in the way of comfort.
The team still doesn’t know the outcome of his arm issues, but will learn more soon. Taillon will visit with orthopedist Dr. David Altchek on Monday. The righty says he’s “hoping it’s just the forearm” rather than an elbow problem that could require major surgery.
Taillon, who has previously undergone a Tommy John procedure, indicates that he’s “excited for whatever comes next” even if it means a lengthy rehab process. He says that he has “been stuck in a grey area for a while.” Though the team has long signaled that Taillon was expected to return this season, it seems there may have been greater internal pessimism throughout.
Any kind of significant arm procedure would be a worry for the Bucs. Taillon is one of the organization’s top players and best assets, at least assuming full health. But it seems he’s all but certainly done for the year; as he puts it, “this season is probably a wash for me.” Taillon only made seven starts this year after a superlative 2018 season, which means he’ll enter arbitration in the offseason with a weak platform that will limit his earnings.
As for Polanco, there’s also some longer-fuse worry. He says he pushed too hard to make it back from last year’s shoulder procedure, leading to the problems that have forced him to the shelf after a return. Now, he’s going to take some more time to rest after having his rehab assignment halted a week ago. Whether Polanco can make it back to the majors this year isn’t yet known, but certainly can’t be presumed.
Having already gone through an unsuccessful effort to ramp up relatively quickly and play at less than full health, Polanco says he’s now committed to fully healing. “This time, I want to be 100 percent,” he says. With the club owing him $23MM in future salary, including two guaranteed seasons and buyouts on a pair of options, a long-term outlook makes sense for all sides.
Needless to say, with the Bucs already reeling in the standings, they increasingly appear to be situated as a seller at the coming deadline. There’s not much of an argument to be made that the roster, especially sans Taillon and Polanco, can contend in the present campaign. The question the front office needs to consider most closely is whether it has the pieces needed to bounce back in 2020.
Blow it up.
Taillon won’t be ready to pitch again until he’s close to 30!
Polanco’s shoulder is going to be bum for the rest of the year… just write off 2019 for him and let it rest.
Fire GM and blow it up in off-season with GM that doesn’t get ripped off in every trade.
Optimism is one thing, but excited for whatever outcome seems like a stretch. Hopefully it’s not a second TJ.
I take that as an ‘any news is good news’ situation. Being in limbo is the worst place to be.
Medical staff needs fired
You post this same thing all the time……Every team has issues with injuries. Many are repeats….Fire the medical staff on every team???
Go, some people just cant help it. They are COMPELLED to say something, anything dumb. Like a moths to a bug zapper….
What do Pirates fans think of trading Chris Archer? He’s still super cheap but performance has trended in the wrong direction. Would a 50 lvl OF prospect do the trick? Is SP more of a need?
I wouldn’t give up a cracked fungo bat for Archer.
If someone would give the Pirates a 50-level type of guy for Archer, you take that deal before the other team has a chance to hang up the phone.
So a Kevin Maitan/Michael Hermosillo type would likely be enough? I’d do that from the Angels side
He’s looked better over the last month. He’s throwing his fastball and change up more often.
But he’s still below market value. I’d wait to see if he finishes strong then sell high on him during the offseason
The Pirates will get the 9 mil option off the books and won’t reinvest dollars. Not sure why the history of getting rid of anyone who is making significant money year after year and no real splash in international signings. Where is the money the Pirates get for MLB going?
No. As bad as he is, he’s giving us innings.
Trade is a disaster on all levels, but I’ll take 5 innings over a prospect after giving up 3 good ones to get him up
The joys of being a Pirate fan. Except for the couple of years that Cutch manned the OF, this has been the story of the Pirates for 27 years now.
Actually, most of 20 years prior to the couple of good years was because of no talent throughout the organization and not injuries. The last couple of years was more of an injury problem than a lack of talent.
The Pirates ownership and leadership has been the laughing stock of the MLB. A few years of hope the rest is made up of disgusting rhetoric spewed from their organization. I am sad to say that for the rest of my life I won’t see the Pirates play in the World Series!!! The ownership and leadership of the Pirates have failed me time after time. Being 500 not long ago was celebrated because of how bad the team has been. Yet, the MLB revenue sharing funds keep pouring in year after year. I can’t tell someone how to spend their money( Nutting) but, as a fan I can make decision not to be played as a sucker. The Pirates Organization needs to look in the mirror and face the music.
First of all, “the Ownership and Leadership of the Pirates has failed ME time after time.” Seriously, are you entitled? Is the reason for being a professional franchise just to satisfy you? Wow.
Second of all, do you realize the amount of revenue sharing that you claim is “pouring in year after year,” is peanuts. 1 to 3 teams annually get charged a luxury tax. That amount is equally divided by the other 27 to 29 teams. If the Yankees, Red Sox, & Dodgers each went over $50 million, which has probably never happened, the Pirates would get about $5 million. What can you get for $5 million these days? Maybe a Jordan Lyles? Without a salary cap, MLB is non-competitive.
I know inter division trades are rare, but what about a cards bucs swap. Adolis Garcia, max schrock, seth ellidge and jose godoy for polanco?
Hahahahaha
Lol. You can keep your damaged goods thanks.
those calling for blowing up forget that there isn’t much to blow up and sell. Dickerson, Melky, Kang, Cervelli, Lyles sure.. rentals (if you can get a buyer)
Marte and Felipe are the only players of value that ‘almost’ makes sense in trading. Marte cause his control is running thin, and vazquez for his crazy high trade value and the pirates potentialy have a replacement next season if burdi can get healthy
There is also Kela but i’m guessing his value is fairly low. If they can’t get back similar talent they gave up to get him then.. might as well keep him.
But taking away the non-rental players does hurt the upcoming seasons
The current roster as constructed is not good enough to contend now or the immediate future, so the Bucs are better off tearing down to the studs and starting over.
what i’m getting at … theres nothing to tear down. rentals being traded is not tearing down….
nearly everyone is on cost controlled or rookie deals.. with years of control yet.
That means trading Vasquez, Marte, Bell if the deal is good enough…essentially everything including the furnishings and copiers. There is no one on the current roster who should be considered an untouchable.
yeah.. no.. i know bell is a long shot to be extended… but he should be.
Marte should also be extended, but he won’t… either.
NO one on any team is ‘untouchable’ but no one will pony up the required peaces for vazquez or bell. Marte maybe… as much as he should stay around they have pieces that maybe able to fill in and be good enough, if someone offers decent pitching you have to at least look at it.
Polanco could be an option to trade in the offseason if he returns this year and does okay.
i’d keep marte and felipe though unless someone offers something crazy..
This team as is hasn’t been competitive since the last WC trip. How is keeping the band together going to change that?
only one of the players from that time is actually taking the field in the black and gold… well kinda two but really just one.. the band broke up a while ago.
Well, the tribute band as currently constituted isn’t a headliner.
I never saw the money that was saved by trading Nova reinvested into a Team. Less Chisenall Let’s catch lighten in a bottle Melky and Lirano signings and sign core guy like Bell. The Pirates are on of the few organizations that play the cheap card over and over. I know it is a small market and a business but, their payroll has been flat for 10 years. With all the TV, Cable and revenue sharing dollars how can MLB allow this. Unless, the model is to just use smaller market team as a player feeder to larger market teams. Can’t see how this is competitive balance within the league.Just look a the range of payrolls in the MLB versus other major sports.
Can we get rid of the greedy owner too?
As a Pirates fan who has been around long enough to remember 1971, No. The reason why they are not good enough right now is because of injuries. Lost several pitchers in the last couple of years and will start getting them back next season. That has been the biggest issue. If they did not have multiple starters go down this year, they would be in better shape right now.
Well OBVIOUSLY if they didn’t have so many injuries they’d be in a better place, not rocket science. Overall tho, OWNERSHIP. The payroll was a JOKE this year. Its a problem that will continue as long as Bob Nutting is around.
I can’t seem to figure out why it isn’t made public the amount of money MLB gives to each club. There should be an attachment that a certain percentage needs to be reinvested into the team to maintain a MLB product that fans will attend. Seems like some owner put $$ into their bank account. This is their choice but, problematic.
The Pirates have 3 viable paths and one misguided one that they could take…
1) Keep everyone except the rentals. Try to find reclamation projects for the bullpen. Roll with Williams, Archer, Musgrove, Keller, Agrazal. Maybe add a FA pitcher. Cross your fingers the offense looks like it did before the All Star break with improved defense.
2) Keep everyone except the rentals and Vazquez IF a team is prepared to overpay. If the Dodgers offer Ruiz, May and another SP prospect (Gonsolin, Gray) that is near MLB ready and another piece or two, you might have to take it. Try to find another closer and put May into the rotation.
3) Trade Vazquez, Marte AND Bell (and Archer) plus the rentals…if the assets you get back make you a top 3 farm system. Make a late run for the top pick or close to it. Be ready to lose big for a few years.
The one mistake they could make is…
4) Trade Vazquez and Marte plus the rentals while keeping Bell and Archer. They won’t get enough back to put them over the top later and won’t have enough left to contend in the short term. If you think the pitching looks bad now, wait until it doesn’t have an elite CF behind it 158 games a year.
If they trade Marte, blow it all up. If they only trade Vazquez, it has to be for the perfect overpay that reloads the team for 2020.
I’ve been saying this for months; why trade Dickerson? Extend him. He is a perfect Pirate; plays hard, hits for average, has decent power, gold glove albeit LF. This year has had 3 seasons in 1 so far; starting pitching was excellent early, Josh Bell was unbelievable as a run producer even as the pitching started to fall apart with injuries & no depth, & lastly, Bell goes cold, pitching gets worse & we lose one run games & get blow
Didn’t get to finish…lose close games & occasionally get blown out. Hurdle is still an idiot. He platoons 3 OF’s in 2 corner spots & all 3 hit .300 or better. He still pitch hits & double moves that include Kang, who has occasional power while hitting .180. He should have been DFA’d a long time ago. He had a good thing going with Newman leading off, so he moves Frazier back to lead off because it helps him, putting Newman, a .325 hitter batting 7th?!.!??. Setting the table for Bell was working well, so let’s change it.
I agree with trading Marte & Vasquez to get good of not great returns. Keep Dickerson & Cabrera if possible, get a new manager & pitching coach & a whole new pitching staff.
If Williams and Musgrove continue to regress and Archer doesn’t improve 1) becomes less viable and 3) more so.
There isn’t even a slight chance Dodgers would make that trade.
They need to do option 3 and blow the whole roster up. Get as many prospects as they can and have this team ready to compete in 2-3 years. The rotation is too inconsistent now and I don’t think they ever win with Hurdle managing. As I said a few weeks ago, he’s the biggest problem with this team. Unfortunately, I don’t think they even consider this because of how much the “fans” would disapprove of it.
The biggest problem with this team is ownership and the trickle down affect. Complacency and then say oh well we tried.
Dickerson, Polanco, Marte, Tucker for Cody Bellinger.
everyone probably says no there.
Blow it up. Must trade Marte now-will never get more for him than now. Hurdle needs to go, has cost them at least 5 games with the moves he makes. Keep Dickerson but would trade anyone that they can get something good back.
I agree with Marte. You’d obviously like to keep certain pieces but the Pirates need to listen to any offer for any player at this point.
The Pirates are a joke. Team run like a big bunch of blow hards at a major corporation. Pirate Team is used to eventually provide another team talent. At the end of the day it’s all about about 8-10 Major Market Teams. Follow the money for the truth.
How MLB and cheap owners hasn’t demanded a salary cap is beyond me. Or in the very least a salary minimal. 100 million per.