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CLEARWATER, Fla. — The oft-used cliché for pitchers during spring training is that they were just out there working on things.
Not for Jameson Taillon.
“I don’t really like claiming, ‘Oh, I was just working on stuff,’ in spring training,” Taillon said. “When you’re out there, you’re in compete mode, no matter what people say — unless you’re really, really working on something.”
So Taillon — especially after making his last start on the back fields in a minor league game — appreciated the chance to face what looked like the Phillies’ Opening Day lineup on Thursday. The Yankees right-hander mowed them down early before giving up three runs over 3 ²/₃ innings, which included a seemingly harmless fly ball by Jean Segura turning into a wind-aided home run.
“That’s pretty much the lineup I didn’t get out of the first inning against last year in June,” Taillon said after a 5-3 loss at BayCare Ballpark. “That’s a really good, pro lineup. They work at-bats, a lot of power. I’d much rather face them and get a true read of where your stuff’s at and where your sequencing’s at than face some different guys.”
That game against the Phillies last season — when the Phillies did not yet have Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos, as they did Thursday — is one Taillon considered a turning point in his season. He finished with a 4.30 ERA, but in his final 17 starts after the Phillies blunder, he posted a 3.46 ERA, which the Yankees hope to see more of this season.
On Thursday, Taillon struck out four and walked one, throwing 48 pitches in the game before throwing about 14 more in the bullpen to continue his preparation for the regular season. He will make his final spring start Tuesday in the team’s Grapefruit League finale.
“I thought he was pretty sharp,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought it was the right kind of progress.”
A third inning with traffic gave Taillon the chance to back up bases, which takes on an added importance for him this spring coming off offseason ankle surgery.
But while the surgery initially threatened to delay his availability for the start of the regular season, Taillon will be ready to break camp with the team. The only difference post-surgery, he said, has been doing more work in the weight room to support his ankle and slightly altering his mechanics.
“This year, I’m still rehabbing this but I feel really healthy and strong,” Taillon said. “I feel like my velocity’s better this year than it was last year. I feel like I have a better idea of what I want to do out there. The lessons I learned throughout the year last year have put me in a much better place.”
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