TF38 didn't even get scratched. It was just a demonstration of how hard it is to actually sink a ship, kind of like sinking Bismarck in small scale.
TF34 was a SCTF attached to TF38 in order to defend the San Bernardino strait should the need arise. Instead, they got sent after Hatsuzuki and Chitose while Taffy 3 was getting the snot kicked out of them