\u201cI\u2019m doing it more to honor my family and what Canada means to my family, and how great it\u2019s been to us,\u201d he said. \u201cI still want to win and stuff, but I think helping Canada grow baseball is also a big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
His northerly ties are extensive. Both his parents were born and raised in Canada and made sure their four kids visited their grandparents there each summer growing up. Taillon\u2019s brother Jordan was born not far from Toronto. The eldest, Justin, returned to get his master\u2019s degree from the University of Guelph in Ontario. There are additional family members up north, and plenty of friends.<\/p>\n
Taillon represented Canada in the WBC once before, in 2013, when he was a 21-year-old Pirates prospect just a few years removed from being selected No. 2 overall in the MLB Draft.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a prospect at the time, I was just handled carefully in a lot of ways,\u201d he said, \u201cprotected a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
But playing outside the organization on the international stage of the WBC was like stepping into another world. Taillon, who had never pitched above Double-A at that point in his career, was tabbed to start against Team USA in pool play. He faced a lineup that had the Phillies\u2019 Jimmy Rollins, the Reds\u2019 Brandon Phillips, the Brewers\u2019 Ryan Braun and the Twins\u2019 Joe Mauer hitting back-to-back-to-back. After getting through them, he still had to worry about the Mets\u2019 David Wright, the Orioles\u2019 Adam Jones and the Rays\u2019 Ben Zobrist in the bottom half of the order.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the big thing for me, was putting my big boy pants on and going out there,\u201d Taillon said. \u201cI was scared as [hell]. But you\u2019re out there facing [future Hall of Famer] Joe Mauer, who\u2019s coming off MVPs, and Ryan Braun, and it\u2019s like, well, you have no choice but to just try to do your best.\u201d<\/p>\n
His best was pretty darn good. He held Team USA to just one earned run and four hits in four innings before the Americans eventually won 9-4. The game was tied when he handed over the ball.<\/p>\n
His WBC return comes at a wildly different point in his career. Far from a burgeoning prospect, Taillon is entering his 10th major-league season. He has played for three different organizations, come back from cancer and two separate Tommy John surgeries and continued to evolve as a pitcher.<\/p>\n
He joins Team Canada as an elder statesman, focused on preparing for his season with the Cubs but with a foundation solid enough to also balance a commitment to his WBC team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited,\u201d Taillon told a small group of reporters Monday as he stood near a batting cage at Goodyear Ballpark. \u201cI wish I was throwing better going into it, but honestly, I think it could be good. A little change of scenery \u2014 get out of Arizona, go compete.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Imanaga gave up three home runs on Sunday.<\/p>\n [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] read<\/p>\n![\"ST26-imanaga-06-f24.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772525596_719_.jpeg\"\/)
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