Latest news with #Taillon
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cubs Predicted To Part Ways With Young Pitcher Amid Injury Woes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Chicago Cubs are loaded with talent, but their starting rotation has lacked a bit. Whether it be by injuries or lack of talent, the Cubs have struggled to consistently put five competitive pitchers in their rotation. With the trade deadline coming up, it should be expected that the Cubs will look to land an arm or two to replace some of the pitchers on the roster. FanSided's Zachary Rotman predicted the Cubs would part ways with pitcher Jordan Wicks, seemingly suggesting a demotion to Triple-A, in the coming weeks. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 6: Jordan Wicks #36 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the St Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 6: Jordan Wicks #36 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the St Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Matt Dirksen/"Wicks did pitch well his last time out, and he might make a start or two this month with Jameson Taillon sidelined with an injury, but even with Taillon out, the odds of Wicks remaining in the majors past the trade deadline feel pretty slim," Rotman wrote. "The Cubs needed a starting pitcher even with Taillon healthy. "Taillon's injury will only add to their urgency to add a starter. They can do so and keep whomever they were going to remove from the rotation, presumably Colin Rea, as a starter until Taillon comes back healthy. This would ensure Wicks, a pitcher who has not established himself as MLB-caliber and one who has options, would get sent down to Triple-A." Sending Wicks to Triple-A seems like the best move for the Cubs, especially if they add a starting pitcher or two at the trade deadline. Chicago has been connected to starting pitchers like Sandy Alcántara, Seth Lugo, and Zac Gallen ahead of the deadline. If Chicago lands one of these guys, it's likely Wicks is sent down. If the Cubs happen to land two pitchers, Wicks' time in the Windy City is likely over for the season. But it's all going to hinge on what the Cubs add in the coming weeks. More MLB: Cubs Shockingly Predicted To Cut Ties With Surging Veteran Catcher
Chicago Tribune
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Cubs looking at in-house options for now with starter Jameson Taillon likely out for a month
The Chicago Cubs are fortunate to have the All-Star break coming up as they try to deal with the loss of starter Jameson Taillon to a right calf strain. Manager Craig Counsell used Drew Pomeranz as the opener Saturday in an 8-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and will have only one more outing to fill before the break. Counsell said the off day Monday will give them time to decide who starts in Taillon's spot next week in the New York Yankees series at Yankee Stadium. Matthew Boyd, who pitches Sunday in the series finale against St. Louis, could go Friday in New York on his usual rest, giving Counsel the option of postponing the decision until next Saturday. Chris Flexen, who gave up a two-run single and a solo home run in 3 2/3 innings Saturday, appears ready to fill the Taillon-created void in New York, though not necessarily as a starter. 'Flexen has been stretched out so he's a candidate to throw more innings,' Counsell said before Saturday's outing. 'Don't worry about that word (starter), is what I would suggest.' Counsell paused for a moment and added: 'I don't mean to preach there.' But preaching about pitchers as 'out-getters' instead of categorizing them as starters, middle relievers and closers, is what Counsell has been doing most of his managerial career. Why stop now? Pomeranz walked two and gave up a bloop single while recording only one out. The two runs on Thomas Saggese's single off Flexen in the first were charged to Pomeranz, ending the left-hander's streak of not allowing an earned run at 26 games and 23 2/3 innings since joining the Cubs' bullpen in late April. Pomeranz was the last major-league pitcher with a perfect 0.00 ERA, with a minimum of 20 games. Since he was out of the major leagues due to injuries from August 2021 until this April, the earned runs were the first given up by Pomeranz in nearly four years — since July 27, 2021, with the San Diego Padres. Taillon will likely miss around a month with what an MRI revealed was a moderate calf strain. He said Saturday it happened while running sprints after a bullpen session. 'Unfortunately I was on my last rep and literally almost done for the day and felt it grab on me,' he said. 'Typical bullpen day. It just came out of nowhere.' Taillon said he's never had a calf strain before and has avoided soft tissue injuries over his long career. He plans to continue working through a plan to try and condition his arm while recovering from the calf strain in hopes of being ready to return to the mound once it heals. With Justin Steele out for the season after left elbow surgery and Shota Imanaga missing most of May and June with a hamstring injury, Counsell has had to audible with his rotation plans several times. Cubs president Jed Hoyer is still trying to acquire a starter, but might not feel the need to rush things before the July 31 trade deadline. Taillon's turn in the rotation would come up only twice from the start of the second half until the deadline. 'What a luxury to have a guy like Chris Flexen throw multiple innings, or call up a guy like Jordan Wicks who is more than capable of getting big-league hitters out,' Taillon said.
Newsweek
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Already Thin Cubs Rotation Takes Hit With Latest Injury Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. July 4, 2025 became a historic afternoon for the Chicago Cubs organization. The team slugged a franchise record eight home runs in its 11-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, giving the fans plenty of reason to celebrate Independence Day. The game did come at a cost, though, after some bad news surrounding Chicago's starting rotation. Cubs' manager Craig Counsell announced that right-hander Jameson Taillon would miss over a month after suffering a strained calf during a bullpen session on Thursday. HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 29: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 29, 2025 in Houston, Texas. HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 29: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 29, 2025 in Houston, is 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA this season and had a rough month of June on the mound. He made six starts, going 3-3 with a 5.57 ERA across 32 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed seven home runs, eight walks and struck out just 23 batters. It was by far the worst month of the season for Taillon and while his IL stint may be a good individual reset, it comes at an unfortunate time for Chicago. The Cubs rotation as a whole struggled without its ace, Shota Imanaga. Imanaga returned to Chicago in late June and looked very good in his first two starts. Now, just two weeks after Imanaga's return, the Cubs will be without one if its veteran arms for a large chunk of the remainder of the season. 'He's gonna miss a pretty significant amount of time.' Craig Counsell said that Jameson Taillon sustained a calf strain during his bullpen yesterday. — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 4, 2025 The absence of Taillon will presumably present an opportunity for current reliever Chris Flexen. It is expected that Flexen will join the Cubs rotation in Taillon's place and if it goes anything like his season is currently going, Chicago will be in great shape. Flexen is 5-0 with a 0.62 ERA in 16 appearances and 29 innings pitched. He's been a huge reason for Chicago's success this season and will now get a chance to return to his normal starting pitching role. If the trade deadline plays out the way team president Jed Hoyer has said it will, then Flexen will be moving back to the bullpen after Chicago makes a trade for a top-of-the-line starter. The most important thing for the Cubs is that Taillon, a pitcher with postseason appearance, gets healthy for what appears will be Chicago's first trip to the postseason since 2020. More MLB: Braves Announcement Appears to Seal Fate of Yankees Castoff Alex Verdugo
Fox Sports
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon goes on injured list, will miss more than a month with calf strain
Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs starter Jameson Taillon may miss 'more than a month' with a right calf strain, manager Craig Counsell said Friday after the team placed the veteran right-hander on the injured list. Taillon is 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA and a mainstay in the NL Central leader's rotation despite some ups and downs in his ninth major league season. The 33-year-old has lost three straight games, with a 10.66 ERA in that span, after winning five in a row. Taillon, who had been scheduled to start Saturday, sustained the injury while running after a bullpen session on Thursday. 'He felt a grab yesterday,' Counsell said. 'He's going to miss a pretty significant amount of time.' The IL move is retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled lefty Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa before their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Wicks is expected to work from the bullpen, although 11 of his 12 appearances for Iowa were starts. He was 1-3 with one save and 4.06 ERA with the Triple-A affiliate. Wicks appeared in two games with the Cubs in April, pitching two innings and going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA. 'He's got to come up here and attack the strike zone and get himself in favorable counts ... to be effective,' Counsell said. Taillon's injury left the Cubs scrambling to plug another hole in their rotation. Left-hander Justin Steele, an All-Star in 2023 with a 16-5 record, made only four starts this season before undergoing elbow surgery that will sideline him for the rest of 2025. Lefty Shota Imanaga has won two starts since returning from a hamstring strain that kept him out for seven weeks. ___ AP MLB: recommended
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon goes on injured list, will miss more than a month with calf strain
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs starter Jameson Taillon may miss 'more than a month' with a right calf strain, manager Craig Counsell said Friday after the team placed the veteran right-hander on the injured list. Taillon is 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA and a mainstay in the NL Central leader's rotation despite some ups and downs in his ninth major league season. The 33-year-old has lost three straight games, with a 10.66 ERA in that span, after winning five in a row. Taillon, who had been scheduled to start Saturday, sustained the injury while running after a bullpen session on Thursday. 'He felt a grab yesterday,' Counsell said. 'He's going to miss a pretty significant amount of time.' The IL move is retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled lefty Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa before their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Wicks is expected to work from the bullpen, although 11 of his 12 appearances for Iowa were starts. He was 1-3 with one save and 4.06 ERA with the Triple-A affiliate. Wicks appeared in two games with the Cubs in April, pitching two innings and going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA. 'He's got to come up here and attack the strike zone and get himself in favorable counts ... to be effective,' Counsell said. Taillon's injury left the Cubs scrambling to plug another hole in their rotation. Left-hander Justin Steele, an All-Star in 2023 with a 16-5 record, made only four starts this season before undergoing elbow surgery that will sideline him for the rest of 2025. Lefty Shota Imanaga has won two starts since returning from a hamstring strain that kept him out for seven weeks. ___ AP MLB:
