Jameson Taillon’s Last Three Starts

Jameson Taillon was selected with the second overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. The big right handed pitcher quickly became a top prospect in the game. Injuries cost him two years, but his arrival has come and over his last three starts, he has flashed his potential.

Jameson Taillon made his Major League debut on June 8th against the New York Mets. He pitched decently, going six innings and allowing three runs. He looked like he belonged, and his season numbers indicate that as well. Taillon has posted a 3.83 ERA in his seven starts and 40 innings. His 3.99 FIP shows he should be a little worse than he has been, but his 3.25 xFIP indicates his future performances will be much better.

But that’s Jameson Taillon’s seaon numbers. His last three starts have just been incredible. Starting on June 29 against the Seattle Mariners, Taillon has pitched 18 innings, and going only six innings in all three of these starts. His outing on the Milwaukee Brewers lasted only 65 pitches and was an outing he could have easily gone deeper in. With Taillon not pitching in three weeks and getting hit in the head with a 105 mile per hour line drive, pulling him is understandable. In his last start, Jameson Taillon was at just 84 pitches through six innings, another start where Taillon could have gone deeper into the game if the Pirates weren’t limiting his workload. His 244 pitches in 18 innings is only 13.5 pitchers per innings. Taillon has worked quickly and effectively.

More from Rum Bunter

• Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Stockwatch: Outfielder Tres Gonzalez
• Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast: Rum Bunter Radio Talks Winter Meetings Fallout
• Pittsburgh Pirates: Potential Leadoff Hitters in 2023
• Pittsburgh Pirates: The Rotation is not being Improved
• Pittsburgh Pirates Make Vince Velasquez Signing Official

Jameson Taillon has also featured an ERA of 3.00, allowing one run on June 29th and July 19th, before allowing four on July 24th. His last start featured a questionable scoring decision which was ruled a hit, despite the fact first baseman John Jaso dropped the ball. Taillon could easily of had allowed only three runs in six innings for an ERA of 2.50. His runs allowed per nine wouldn’t change, and that run doesn’t reflect his outing at all to begin with.

His FIP of 2.81 shows he was sort of unlucky in his performances, but the difference in such a small sample of three starts is totally not unreasonable. His xFIP of 2.66 show his future performances should be even better, but once again three starts is such a small sample. In terms of allowing runs, Taillon has been effective limiting his damage and he has not put many runners on.

Jameson Taillon has always been known for his control, seen with his career minor league walks per nine number of 2.4. This season in 101.2 innings in Indianapolis and Pittsburgh combined, Taillon has walked just 11 batters, a rate of 0.97 walks per nine. Over his last three starts, Taillon has not allowed a walk in his last three starts. This season on a whole, Taillon has thrown 66 percent strikes, but over his last three starts that number improves to 69 percent. He is a strike thrower, and that has been even more relevant over these last three starts.

The other fact that stands out over these last three starts is his curveball and strikeout rates. Taillon has 16 whiffs over these three starts, a rate of 8.00 strikeouts per nine. In his last start Taillon struck out seven Phillies, all with his curveball. Over the span of these three starts, Taillon has struck out 13 using that hook, meaning 81.25 percent of these 16 strikeouts have been on that pitch.

Opponents are just hitting .053 with a .053 slugging percentage, and that hit came against the Mariners on June 29. He has not been afraid to use that pitch either, using the hook 27.54 percent of the time. For comparison his fourseam usage is 26.27 percent, his sinker 32.20 percent, and his change 13.98 percent of the time. His curveball has been deadly these 18 innings, and his whiff per swing percentage has been 37.93 percent on his hook in this time frame.

Related Story: Who Should Be The Pirates Fourth Starter?

With his deadly hook and impeccable control, combined with his ability to have quick and easy innings, Jameson Taillon has really flashed his potential and what caused him to be selected between Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. His advanced metrics showing he should improve is also a good sign, as the Pirates will need him to pitch like he has to make up the two game deficit for the second Wild Card and once again make the postseason.

*Numbers from baseball-reference, fangraphs, and Brooks Baseball