Not long ago, the Pirates were hoping that Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon would bring a championship to Pittsburgh. Now the two judges will team up and try to bring a championship to the Bronx. The Yankees acquired Taillon on Sunday in a five-player trade, the teams announced.
“It’s emotional for me,” Taillon tells Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic. “I was the last man in that draft class in 2010. The organization became family. Super excited to go to Yankees, but it’s still difficult.”
After putting the Yankees on the sidelines much of the off-season, they made three major additions in January. New York re-signed DJ LeMahieu two weeks ago for a $ 90 million six-year contract, and also added Corey Kluber for a $ 11 million one-year deal. Taillon joins Kluber in a rotation with many questions behind Cole. The rotation depth graph:
- RHP Gerrit Cole (amazing)
- RHP Luis Severino (expected from the operation of Tommy John during the middle of the season)
- RHP Corey Kluber (limited to 36 2/3 overs due to injuries from 2019-20)
- RHP Jameson Taillon (no longer playing since May 2019)
- LHP Jordan Montgomery (5.11 ERA in 2020)
- RHP Domingo German (suspended in 2020 for domestic violence)
- RHP Deivi Garcia (probably in 2021 on a workload limit)
- RHP Clarke Schmidt (probably in 2021 on a workload limit)
There are an awful lot of risks in that rotation. There are also many upside down. Kluber, Severino and Taillon have a bait ability when they are healthy, and the Yankees gave themselves three bites to the apple. If all three stay healthy and contribute in 2021, it’s great. If two stay healthy, that’s fine too. And if only one stays healthy, they will take it. The Yankees now have three high-upside options.
Taillon, 29, is currently pursuing his second career in the Tommy John operation and is expected to be ready for the opening day. In 2018, his last healthy season, Taillon threw 191 overs with a 3.20 ERA and a 3.89 K / BB. He got into simulation games with mockers in September last year and recently started holding bullpen sessions as part of his preparation for 2021.
“I understand the people who had two Tommy Johns and their history. There’s not a huge success rate … But there’s not a lot of data either,” Taillon told Mackey in September. “I feel legally healthier than I already felt in the pro ballet. So, if my problem is solved, my mechanics are better and now I’m actually meant to be an appetizer? I think we’ll see. “
Taillon fits in with the Yankees’ typical profile as a power pitcher with very good turning points. He is also familiar with analysis, and according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, Cole ‘strongly endorsed’ the trade and Taillon gave ‘strong reviews’ when the Yankees consulted him. Cole and Taillon were teammates with the Pirates from 2016-’17 and also spent time together in the minors.
Before the trade, the Yankees had about $ 6 million breathing space below the $ 210 million luxury tax threshold. Taillon will earn $ 20.25 million in 2021, so he fits their payroll well, although the Yankees will have to set aside money for calls during the season and the deadline. Taillon will remain under team control in 2022 as an arbitration player.
The Pirates will receive four prospects in the trade, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN: RHP Roansy Contreras, IF Maikol Escotto, OF Canaan Smith, and RHP Miguel Yajure. MLB.com holds the prospect no. Yajure, Contreras and Smith respectively. 15, 19 and 21 in New York’s farm system. Escotto is not arranged, but is considered a sleeper with significant upside.
Yajure (22) is the only one of the four prospects with MLB experience. He allowed one run in seven overs with the Yankees in 2020. Contreras (21) threw 132 1/3 overs with a 3.33 ERA in low class A in 2019, while 21-year-old Smith hit 0.307 / .405 /. .465 with 11 homers in 124 games at the same level. Escotto (18) hit the .315 / .429 / .552 in the Dominican Summer League in 2019.
The Pirates have begun a full-scale rebuild under new GM Ben Cherington. Since taking over last year, Cherington has traded Josh Bell, Starling Marte, Joe Musgrove and now Taillon. Pittsburgh also did not offer Trevor Williams and turned down their club option for Chris Archer earlier this season. Adam Frazier, Colin Moran and Gregory Polanco could be next.
Taillon was selected with the number 2 pick in the 2010 draft, between Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. He underwent his first Tommy John surgery in 2014 and also underwent surgery to treat testicular cancer in 2017.