Jameson Taillon’s Elbow Just Nuked the Blue Jays’ Rotation Again

The Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation isn't just cursed. It is an active crime scene, and the baseball gods are refusing to leave any survivors.

According to MLB Trade Rumors and manager John Schneider, Jameson Taillon is heading right back to the injured list after lasting just two innings in his return to the mound on Friday night.

"Manager John Schneider noted the elbow discomfort is 'different this time than last time.'"

Taillon was supposed to be the veteran stabilizer Toronto acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the deadline. Instead, he threw exactly 29 pitches against the Kansas City Royals, gave up a home run to Bobby Witt Jr., and immediately checked out with right elbow discomfort.

For context, 29 pitches is barely enough time to finish a stadium beer, let alone justify a trade deadline acquisition.

This is the exact opposite of what you want to hear about a 34-year-old pitcher who already has two Tommy John surgeries on his resume. Schneider told reporters the discomfort is "different this time" than the forearm tendinitis that just sidelined him for weeks.

When a guy with a zipper on his elbow says the pain feels new, you do not need a medical degree to know it is time to panic.

The Blue Jays are somehow still hovering around the American League wild-card race, but their rotation looks like a triage unit. Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis are already recovering from Tommy John, and half the guys they planned to rely on are currently wearing walking boots or slings.

If you are holding tickets on Toronto making a late postseason run, or just trying to handicap their weekend series against the Royals, you have to factor in that this team is basically pulling relievers like Joe Mantiply into early duty just to eat innings.

Taillon is scheduled for an MRI to figure out exactly what gave out this time. Until then, the Blue Jays have to figure out how to survive the rest of September with a pitching staff held together by duct tape and blind optimism.