Yankees: Jameson Taillon hits IL with completely unexpected injury

Hey, you know how New York Yankees No. 2 starter and AL July Pitcher of the Month Jameson Taillon hasn’t looked quite right lately?

Really since mid-game against the Minnesota Twins in late August?

Since his sixth-inning collapse against the Twinkies that resulted in a closer-than-desired victory, the starter has appeared to hit a wall, posting outings of 3.2 and 4.2 innings (both losses) prior to a gutsy seven-inning appearance against Toronto (also, of course, a loss).

Could something have been wrong with Taillon all along? Or does he just need a breather after missing two seasons battling arm injuries?

We’ll probably never get a definitive answer regarding the potential phantom nature of this injury as the Yankees spiral around him, but nevertheless, Taillon is headed to the IL with a “right ankle tendon injury” (of course he is) on Thursday afternoon (retroactive to Sept. 7, his most recent start).

If this is “something,” could it have occurred on the righty’s awkward dive against Minnesota in that turning point start?

Yankees No. 2 starter Jameson Taillon heads to the IL with an ankle tendon injury.

This, obviously, is another major blow to the team’s pitching depth, which has been the most functional part about the roster over the past two awful weeks.

According to Boone, the injury in question took place during Taillon’s most recent start against the Blue Jays, and “sounds worse than it is,” which is good because…it sounds pretty bad.

However, at the very least, the cavalry appears to be coming. Michael King, Domingo German and Luis Severino have all gone through successful rehab steps over the past several days. Add in Clarke Schmidt, who’s back at Triple-A and probably deserves a shot at meaningful innings, and you’ve got some backup firepower.

The kind of backup firepower that can provide a struggling Taillon with a start or two off, say.

And, speaking of backup firepower…

Yeah. There’s also that guy, who has struggled mightily, but looks like a late Taxi Squad addition.

Yankees rotation without Jameson Taillon

This also gives New York a prime opportunity to use Luis Gil every fifth day, instead of yo-yoing him down to Scranton yet again. If Gil absorbs Taillon’s innings one-for-one, that makes the five-day outlook (without Gerrit Cole, too) something like Gil/Nestor Cortes Jr./Corey Kluber/Jordan Montgomery/Andrew Heaney. If you’d like to replace Heaney with German, Schmidt, or King, you could presumably do that too, though (please do that).

Cole was spotted throwing in the outfield grass prior to Thursday’s game, and might not even miss a turn in the rotation himself (though, again, the spiraling Yankees need to get him right, whatever it takes).

There’s nothing positive to speak of here, but whatever Taillon’s been nursing has clearly affected his performance. This should give him an opportunity to reset while several fresh arms jockey to take his place.

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