Chicago Cubs: An 'encouraging' injury update on key starting pitcher

The team had already suffered massive starting rotation losses prior to the Taillon injury. Ace Justin Steele was lost for the season back in early April with an elbow injury that required surgery. Then, a month later, Shota Imanaga went down with a hamstring strain that put him on the shelf for about five weeks. Before all of that, projected fifth starter Javier Assad was shutdown in spring training with an oblique issue that has kept him out of commission this entire 2025 season so far.

Losing Taillon means losing a big inning-eater in the middle of a rotation that is already taxed and full of question marks from the no. 3 slot onward. Although he’s been touched up on occasion and has notched a pretty unspectacular 4.44 ERA so far this season, the right-hander has been a welcomed veteran presence every fifth day.

The initial dismal report

Cubs manager Craig Counsell added to the dread fans were feeling with a pretty dismal initial update on the injury.

“This was unfortunately an injury during training,” Counsell told reporters on Friday. “He was running, and felt a grab after his bullpen [session]. He’s going to miss a pretty significant amount of time, more than a month. He’s got a muscle strain in his calf.”

The news on Saturday, however, was not quite as dark.

A more positive update on Saturday

Results from Taillon’s MRI showed a “moderate strain” of the right calf, which was a best case scenario for the injury.

“I think all in all, I’m pretty encouraged by knowing what it could have been,” Taillon told reporters Saturday morning. “It was the best case of what we (thought) it had the possibility of being.

“We’re going to try to try to keep my arm conditioned, do some throwing off my knees. Like stationary bike, upper body workouts, arm care. I think we’ll be able to stay pretty conditioned.”

The 9-year pro also talked about how the injury occurred, affirming Counsell’s earlier account.

“Unfortunately, I was on my last rep, and was literally almost done for the day,” Taillon told media. “I felt it kind of grab on me…It just came out of nowhere.”

“It’s been tough,” Taillon added, talking about the rocky road of the Cubs pitching staff so far this season. “We’ve been carried by the offense a lot this year– that helps. And then obviously, guys have stepped up and shown that they’re capable.”

With Taillon down for an unknown period of time, the sense of urgency in acquiring starting pitching prior to the July 31 MLB trade deadline has augmented considerably.

Already reported to be an aggressive presence in pursuing acquisitions, the Cubs front office, headed by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, now faces the reality that they may need at least two starting pitchers by the deadline to turn a battered and depleted rotation into one that is postseason-viable.