Pirates pitcher is the latest player to say he's open to the strangest remedy in baseball - peeing on yourself

Gene J. Puskar/AP

• Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon is battling a cut on his middle finger that has limited him on the mound.
• Taillon said people have suggested peeing on the injury to heal it, something he would consider if it helps him.
• Taillon would not be the first MLB player to pee on his hand, as many players believe it can cure blisters and toughen the skin.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon is the latest MLB player to at least consider going to unusual lengths to fix an ailment on his hand.

Taillon was forced off the mound last Friday after just three innings because of a cut on his middle finger. The 26-year-old righty told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Jerry Jerry DiPaola that he might take his teammates' advice and pee on his finger to heal it.

"I said if it helps, I'll put a sign-up sheet and everyone can come and pee," Taillon said. "I don't care. I just want it to go away."

Strange as it may be, the practice isn't uncommon. In 2016, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill admitted to peeing on his hand to cure blisters.

"You pee on it," Hill said at the time of trying to cure the blisters. "You might as well try it, right? I was desperate to do anything at that time."

Former MLB outfielder Moises Alou became somewhat famous for the practice. Alou didn't wear batting gloves and often had blisters on his hands.

According to The Tribune-Review, former Pirates pitcher Julian Tavarez also became known for peeing on his hand. Joe Rutter, who covered the Pirates for the Tribune-Review, told DiPaola that reporters used to see Tavarez "duck behind the wall" to "soak" his hand.

Players believe that peeing on their hands can help toughen the skin. There's no definitive proof that that's true, but Slate's Dan Kois noted in 2004 that urea, a major component of urine, can be found in some commercial skin moisturizers. Kois also wrote that these companies manufacture the urea and aren't distilling it.

"If it helps, I would do it," Taillon said. "I'm not scared, man. I just need to be out on the field."

However, Taillon also clarified his comments on Twitter:

... with an asterisk: