Yankees Avoided A Potential Crisis: Cubs Jameson Taillon’s Poor Performance Is The Proof

Last Saturday against the Phillies, Taillon (0-3) took the loss after throwing 2.1 innings and surrendering eight runs (six earned) on six hits and three walks. He recorded one out.

Since coming off the inured list, Taillon has given up multiple runs in four straight appearances, serving up a season-high six earned runs. He has an 11:6 K:BB ratio during that time and has given up 19 more runs than innings pitched (12.2). He’s expected to throw one more in the last game of a three-game series against the Mets, but if he keeps up this pattern, another spell on the disabled list might be in the works.

Yankees Avoided A Potential Crisis: Cubs Jameson Taillon’s Poor Performance Is The Proof

On Saturday, two home runs, including a grand slam, gave the Cubs and Jameson Taillon a 6-0 lead in the first inning. In a way, that performance summed up everything we’ve seen from the seasoned right-hander so far this season.

Taillon, who used to regularly chew up innings, has been nothing but a liability since joining the Cubs, and it’s difficult to draw any kind of encouraging conclusions from his starts this season. In addition to being unproductive, he hasn’t pitched past the fifth inning thus far.

It is up to the right-hander to use the knowledge and carry out his pitches, but so far he hasn’t demonstrated the ability to do it consistently.

During the weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Jameson Taillon pitched horribly and Justin Steele had a less-than-stellar effort. These performances exposed some serious weaknesses. Taillon in particular following their 12-3 setback on Saturday when they let up two home runs as well as a grand slam.

Would a trade for a starting pitcher who can replace Taillon’s subpar output benefit Chicago the most?

Lance Lynn and Dylan Cease, pitchers for the Chicago White Sox, are the first two names that spring to mind.

Let’s first take a look at Lynn. He had a 2022 earned run average of 2.52 and a walk to strikeout ratio of 89 to 10. In nine innings thrown during the World Baseball Classic, he also had a 3.00 ERA. But he got off to a bad start in  2023: sitting with 7.16 ERA through April.

Why Lynn then? He does, however, provide senior leadership, which, although not exactly lacking in Chicago, is always a plus. Pitching has a BAD ERA for both the rotation and the bullpen. They had a 7.51 ERA overall on the 2-7 road trip (9.10 from the bullpen and 6.45 from the rotation). Although Lynn isn’t doing much better, he won’t likely make matters worse compared to Taillon (0-3, 8.10 ERA).

Moving on, one of the top pitchers in the league is his colleague Cease. After recording an almost amazing 227 strikeouts over 184 innings, he came in second in the Cy Young vote last year. Of the two pitchers discussed in trade speculations, Cease is the stronger (and younger) one.

The 27-year-old has a 2-3 record, a 4.78 earned run average, and 57 strikeouts in 52.2 innings thrown. The White Sox have two aces in their rotation, and while it wouldn’t be absurd, it’s feasible they may trade one of them to the Cubs. Chris Sale, the White Sox’s final high-level ace, was moved to start the reconstruction. Thus, it is feasible.

Acquiring Cease would be the better of the two moves.

Taillon has pitched 26 2/3 innings and has a record of 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA thus far in the first year of his contract. He has given up 24 earned runs and five home runs.

 

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