There is a natural stigma attached to starting pitchers who undergo Tommy John surgery twice: How durable can he be after two elbow reconstruction surgeries, and what’s the ceiling of his potential?
Jameson Taillon sees his second ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery, which he underwent in 2019, differently. He sees it as an unfortunate circumstance that can give him another chance to pitch effectively and without persistent pain. He’s made major changes to his mechanics, shortening his arm path, and working to get more power from his legs – both of which can help him protect his elbow. “A second baseball life,” he called it Sunday, shortly after being traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Yankees.
Taillon, 29, says his second elbow surgery opened his eyes to the field of biomechanics and inspired him to remake himself as a pitcher. After his first Tommy John surgery in April 2014, Taillon …