Jameson Taillon will throw another bullpen session in Cleveland as his return keeps building.
If everything goes well from here, the Blue Jays are targeting Friday in Kansas City for his return to the rotation.
That's a real, specific date attached to his recovery for the first time in a while.
Taillon has been working back from a forearm injury, progressing through bullpen sessions in Tampa and now Cleveland.
His previous session went well, with Taillon saying he felt good afterward, which mattered as much as the line itself.
Another clean bullpen this week would put him right on schedule for that Friday target.
There's still real uncertainty attached to any pitcher's return, especially one working back from an arm issue this late in the season.
Why his return matters for Toronto's stretch run
Toronto has leaned on bullpen games and reshuffled rotation spots for weeks now, exactly the kind of strain a healthy Taillon would ease.
Getting a veteran starter back into the rotation gives John Schneider one less night where he has to piece together length from multiple relievers.
The Blue Jays sit 1.5 games back of a wild-card spot entering September, with every single start carrying playoff-level stakes right now.
A Friday return in Kansas City would give Taillon a fresh start against a team well out of playoff contention, a reasonable spot to shake off any rust.
There's no guarantee this bullpen session goes as planned, and setbacks can still push a target date back at this stage of a rehab process.
But for a rotation that's needed length and stability all year, a real return date finally on the calendar is a genuinely positive sign heading into the stretch.
Do you think Jameson Taillon makes his Friday target return in Kansas City?
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