The Pittsburgh Pirates expedited the future Tuesday by calling up top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon, the former No. 2 pick who will make his major-league debut Wednesday at PNC Park against Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle made the announcement to reporters prior to the first game of Tuesday's double-header with the Mets, adding that Taillon was en route to Pittsburgh and will address the media later in the day. Hurdle wouldn't guarantee a start beyond Wednesday. The matchup was originally slated to include lefty Francisco Liriano, who's struggled to a 5.25 ERA over 11 starts this season.
"This isn't an opportunity where (Taillon) needs to come in and just twirl it to stay," Hurdle said, according to Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "There may be a hidden lining in this that he didn't pitch for a period of time (because of injuries). He's got a full gas tank."
Fantasy Fallout: Add Jameson Taillon Right Away
Pirates fans have long pined for the arrival of Taillon, a 6-foot-5 right-hander selected second overall in the 2010 draft, one spot below Bryce Harper and a pick ahead of Manny Machado. Once considered a top-10 prospect in all of baseball, Taillon's development stalled in the minors after enduring several injuries, including a hernia and Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for all of 2014 and 2015.
In 10 starts at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, the hard-throwing righty struck out 61 batters in 61 1/2 innings, compiling a tidy 2.04 ERA and 0.81 WHIP.
