Taillon allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in 4.1 innings Monday, striking out four.
The team hoped to have him go five innings but he reached his pitch limit ahead of schedule. Taillon, who has compiled a 3.65 ERA in 12.1 spring innings on nine hits and four walks while striking out 10, enters 2017 behind Gerrit Cole but has the potential to serve as the team's ace. He'll look to build off of an impressive rookie campaign in which he registered a 3.38 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 85:17 K:BB in 104 innings. Control is the key for Taillon. He struck out 417 batters in the minors while issuing only 118 walks in 443.2 innings.