Cubs Face Decision After Unfortunate Jameson Taillon News

While Taillon had not been enjoying the best season, posting a 5.19 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 13 starts and allowing a league-high 20 home runs, his injury is another blow to a pitching staff already dealing with significant health issues. Cade Horton (elbow), Matthew Boyd (knee), and Justin Steele (elbow) have all spent time sidelined by injuries.

Chicago has effectively been operating with a makeshift rotation and has already been linked to several starting pitchers ahead of the trade deadline. With Taillon's injury further weakening the staff, the Cubs may have to seriously consider adding one or more arms before the deadline.

Entering Sunday's game, Chicago had already used nine different pitchers for at least two starts this season. However, only two of them have produced a positive WAR. Ben Brown leads the group with a 1.8 WAR, while another starter owns a 0.2 mark despite making just two starts.

Given the pitching issues, it is somewhat surprising to see the Cubs sitting at 34-32. The club opened the season with two separate 10-game winning streaks but has unraveled over the past month, going just 7-20 over its last 27 games.

With the team trending in the wrong direction, the urgency to acquire quality pitching before the trade deadline continues to grow.

There is, however, some hope internally. Boyd is expected back in mid-June, while right-hander Edward Cabrera returned from the injured list on Friday.

Additionally, Javier Assad helped stabilize the Cubs after replacing Taillon, delivering 6 1/3 shutout innings and surrendering just one hit. The right-hander found a strong rhythm in the middle innings, retiring 12 batters in a row before leaving to a standing ovation after recording a strikeout in the eighth.

However, the 28-year-old struggled in his first three starts of the season and has primarily served as a bulk reliever, moving between the majors and minors throughout the year. Sunday's performance may have offered some encouragement, but for a team dealing with as many pitching issues as Chicago and heading in the wrong direction, external reinforcements may be needed sooner rather than later.