The elusive "Great Perhaps" – a dream of something more, a life beyond the ordinary – is a powerful motivator, but what happens when the path to that dream becomes a frustrating labyrinth? For many, the pursuit of a "Great Perhaps" involves reaching the pinnacle of their profession and staying there. In the world of baseball, this translates to climbing the minor league ranks, breaking into the major leagues, and establishing a lasting career. However, this journey, while seemingly clear, is fraught with challenges, and success in the big leagues is never guaranteed. This is precisely the crossroads where Troy Taylor, a promising pitcher, finds himself, caught between the allure of the "Great Perhaps" and the daunting reality of the "Quad-A Perhaps," desperately seeking a breakthrough.
But here's where it gets controversial... The very definition of a "Great Perhaps" can be subjective. While baseball players have a tangible goal, the emotional and mental toll of pursuing it can be immense. Is the dream itself the reward, or is it the destination?
Troy Taylor made his mark in MLB history on August 11, 2024, becoming the 23,305th player to debut in the majors, just 29 days shy of his 23rd birthday. His entrance was under favorable circumstances, with the Mariners enjoying a commanding 12-1 lead against the Mets. The game featured a stellar offensive performance from Cal Raleigh, who hit two home runs, and a dominant nine-strikeout outing from Luis Castillo, setting a comfortable stage for the rookie. Taylor, unfazed, issued a walk to Ben Gamel but quickly showcased his potential by recording his first two big-league strikeouts, both on a devastating buckling slider, to seal the series sweep. This debut was particularly electrifying, amplified by his impressive top-shelf fastball velocity.
Following his strong initial outing, Taylor continued to impress during the remainder of the season. He demonstrated remarkable skill, striking out over a third of the batters he faced and steadily climbing the team's pitching depth chart. In 19.1 innings pitched, he accumulated 25 strikeouts, hinting at a significant role in the major league bullpen for the 2026 season. However, an off-season lat injury derailed his momentum, forcing him to miss crucial development time during spring training. His rehabilitation efforts with the Tacoma Rainiers were challenging; in five appearances, he managed only 3.2 innings, surrendering six runs on nine hits. Despite these struggles, he still managed four strikeouts, and with the bullpen in need of reinforcements, the Mariners recalled him in mid-April to bolster their roster for a 10-day, three-city road trip.
Once again, the Mariners attempted to ease Taylor into action. Manager Dan Wilson strategically brought him in during the seventh inning of a 5-0 lead against Cincinnati, intending for him to face the lower part of the batting order. However, by the time Taylor exited the mound, the score had shifted to 5-2, and he had failed to record a single out. While his fastball still showed good velocity, reaching 96-97 mph, he struggled with command, preventing him from effectively utilizing his most potent weapon, the slider. When he did attempt to throw it, hitters were prepared, as evidenced by Christian Encarnacion-Strand hitting a two-run double on a slider that was below the strike zone.
Following this difficult season debut, the Mariners optioned Taylor back to Triple-A. However, a week later, they were compelled to recall him due to an injury to Logan Gilbert, who experienced forearm tightness. Now lacking both spring training and minor-league rehab innings, the team tried to manage Taylor's workload by deploying him in low-pressure situations, such as blowout games against teams like the Angels and Marlins, and a comfortable win in Texas. The aim was to help him regain his rhythm. Yet, he continued to grapple with command issues, frequently falling behind in counts. When his fastball entered the strike zone, hitters were able to make solid contact. His formerly effective sweeper also failed to induce swings from opposing batters. He was sent back to Tacoma, only to be recalled just six days later when another pitching injury, Trent Thornton's appendicitis, depleted the roster further.
Ironically, Taylor's most encouraging performances emerged during a challenging May homestand against the Blue Jays and Yankees, games where his statistics might appear less impressive on paper. Entering the seventh inning with the Mariners trailing Toronto 5-3, he allowed a run partly due to an unusual leadoff hit by Tyler Heineman, who broke his bat on a pop-up but still managed to reach first base. Despite this, in what was his most high-leverage work of the season thus far, Taylor showed improvement. He still walked a batter after falling behind Bo Bichette, but his missed pitches were less erratic, he achieved better command of his spots, and he exuded more confidence on the mound, appearing to have a better grasp of his pitches. This impression was further solidified two days later with a 1-2-3 inning against the same Blue Jays team, this time in a game where the Mariners were trailing significantly.
However, the Mariners' depleted pitching staff necessitated that Taylor pitch on back-to-back days against a surging Yankees team the very next night. Once again, Taylor encountered misfortune with batted balls, surrendering a two-run homer on a well-placed fastball. He then faced the heart of the Yankees' lineup, managing to limit the damage to just one additional run on an Aaron Judge sacrifice fly. This sequence of events ultimately put the game out of reach for the Mariners and included a particularly unfortunate moment when Oswaldo Cabrera, running home on the sacrifice fly, broke his ankle while crossing home plate, causing a ten-minute suspension of play.
And this is the part most people miss... The effectiveness of a sinker-slider reliever hinges on the consistent performance of their slider. It became increasingly evident that Taylor was struggling to rely on this crucial pitch. His subsequent outings, even after showing promise against strong AL East teams, were followed by a poor performance against the struggling White Sox. In that game, a 5-0 Mariners lead evaporated, forcing an already overworked Andrés Muñoz to enter the game to close it out after Taylor issued back-to-back walks to start the inning. Following that outing, the Mariners sent Taylor back to Tacoma, and he did not return to the major league roster.
Even in Tacoma, away from the intense pressure of the major leagues, Taylor posted a career-high walk rate of almost 14%. While he was never known for exceptional command due to the natural movement of his pitches, this represents a substantial increase from his career average. His ERA/FIP in Tacoma also stands out significantly, often doubling or even tripling his career average. This pattern is largely characterized by an inverted bell curve of performances: Taylor either pitched scoreless innings or allowed 3-4 runs at a time, with very few in-between outcomes. To me, this suggests an issue with performance and execution rather than a decline in the quality of his stuff or batters having figured him out. This is encouraging because it implies a solvable problem. However, it's also terrifying, as anyone who has strived for a "Great Perhaps" understands how formidable an adversary one's own mind can be.
Complementing the concept of the "Great Perhaps" in John Green's novel is another pivotal quote, attributed to the supposed last words of Simón Bolívar: "Damn it! How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?" The characters in the book explore various paths, some more destructive than others, in their quest to answer this question. Ultimately, Miles discovers a scribbled note from his friend Alaska in the margin, offering a solution to escaping the labyrinth of suffering: "straight and fast!" While Troy Taylor shouldn't interpret this advice literally – speed is good, but a direct path isn't always the answer – the underlying spirit holds true: to achieve escape velocity from a minor league existence and launch oneself into the "Great Perhaps," one must do so fast and fearless.
