50 Jameson Taillon SP

Taillon (14-10) struck out seven but took the loss to the Reds on Saturday despite giving up three runs in six innings. He worked around seven hits and did not walk a batter.

The right-hander peppered the zone with 64 strikes in 89 pitches but allowed a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the third before a homer by Eugenio Suarez and an RBI single from opposing pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the fourth. All in all, Taillon was effective, but his offense failed to plate a run, which left him empty-handed in a quality start packed with strikeouts and sans a walk. He'll wrap up the 2018 season with a sparkling 3.20 ERA, 2.2 BB/9, and a solid 8.4 K/9 in 191 innings. Taillon already enters 2019 in top-25 territory among mixed-league starting pitchers, and given his impressive 10.5 percent swinging-strike rate from this year, he might reach another level in punchouts with more experience and a few tweaks to his approach.

Taillon may not make his scheduled start Saturday against the Reds, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Manager Clint Hurdle noted that he talked to Taillon and the two are still "working through some information to make a good decision" regarding his final start of the season. The 25-year-old has already thrown a career-high 185 innings, posting a 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 172:46 K:BB, and the Pirates, who are out of playoff contention, may simply want to preserve the right-hander heading into the offseason. It's unclear who would take Taillon's turn in the rotation Saturday if he doesn't pitch.

Taillon (14-9) tossed seven innings of one-run ball to earn the win Monday against the Cubs, allowing five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Taillon was impressive in the face of a tough matchup, inviting an abundance of weak contact while recording 10 groundball outs to help quiet the home team. His only real blemish on the night came on a solo home run from opposing pitcher Cole Hamels, but that was the only run he'd allow en route to his 14th victory. Taillon is enjoying an outstanding run of form and has now gone at least six innings while allowing three earned runs or fewer in 21 straight starts. He'll take a shiny 3.16 ERA into his final regular-season start this weekend against the Reds.

Taillon struck out 11 and gave up four hits over seven shutout innings during Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Royals. He walked on batter and did not factor in the decision.

Taillon allowed doubles to Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar, but generated 20 swings-and-misses from the Royals to set a season-high 11 strikeouts. The 26-year-old has allowed two runs or less in each of his last six starts (38 innings), and currently lines up to face the Cubs at Wrigley Field next Monday.

Taillon (13-9) picked up the win Wednesday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four across seven innings.

Taillon settled in after allowing a run-scoring single to Marcell Ozuna in the first inning, firing six scoreless frames before exiting in the eighth inning with two runners on and no outs. One of those inherited runners came around to score, but Felipe Vazquez was able to slam the door and secure the victory for Taillon, his fourth straight. The right-hander owns an impressive 2.16 ERA and 25:3 K:BB across those four outings. Next up will be a home start against the Royals.