Cubs RHP scratched from first appearance of spring training due to back tightness

Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon has yet to make an in-game appearance this spring due to soreness in his calves. That was set to change today as he was poised to make his first start since camp began, though those plans were scuttled when the club scratched Taillon from his start earlier today.

As noted by Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, manager Craig Counsell indicated to reporters that Taillon was dealing with lower back tightness and that the right-hander’s back “locked up” while throwing warm-up pitches prior to his scheduled start, though there hasn’t been imaging scheduled for the right-hander and Counsell indicated the club hopes to know more about Taillon’s status tomorrow. Sharma goes on to note that the Cubs are hopeful the issue was just a spasm and that Taillon has dealt with a similar issue previously in his career and that it often subsides after just a few days. Though Chicago is remaining optimistic that the 32-year-old will be able to avoid a trip to the shelf to open the season, the right-hander missing time to open the season would be a blow to the club’s chances in a crowded NL Central division.

Taillon figures to occupy the middle of the club’s rotation this season alongside fellow veteran righty Kyle Hendricks, behind southpaws Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. The fifth spot in the Cubs’ rotation has not yet been determined but appears likely to go to one of Jordan Wicks, Drew Smyly, Javier Assad, and Hayden Wesneski as things stand. Taillon’s four-year deal with the Cubs got off to a rough start last season as he struggled to a 6.90 ERA in his first 13 starts with the club, though he settled in to provide mid-rotation results late in the season with a 3.57 ERA and 4.23 ERA across the season’s final three months.

More from around the NL Central…

• Cardinals manager Oli Marmol provided a positive update regarding veteran righty Sonny Gray today, as noted by MLB.com’s John Denton. Marmol told reporters that Gray has been able to throw from 120 feet and do agility work without issue in recent days, and could progress to throwing off the mound sometime next week. The 34-year-old veteran is battling a mild hamstring strain that has put his odds of making a start for St. Louis on Opening Day in doubt. While Marmol’s comments regarding Gray today didn’t indicate whether or not the righty will be able to avoid opening the season on the injured list, it’s nonetheless encouraging news for Cardinals fans given the importance of Gray to the club’s rotation this year. Gray signed with the Cardinals on a three-year, $75M deal this winter on the heels of a strong 2023 season that saw him finish second to Gerrit Cole in AL Cy Young award voting on the back of a sterling 2.79 ERA in 32 starts.
• Sticking with the Cardinals, shortstop-turned-center fielder Tommy Edman recently spoke to reporters (including Denton) regarding his own injury woes in the wake of reports that he is now doubtful for Opening Day due to wrist issues. It appears as though those concerns are justified, as Denton notes that the switch-hitting Edman has been unable to swing right-handed at all and has not been cleared to face live pitching from either side this spring. That being said, Denton adds that Edman expressed optimism regarding a recent diagnosis, which indicated that the pain in his wrist is “more inflammation than structural.” With fellow outfielder Lars Nootbaar’s availability also questionable ahead of Opening Day, St. Louis appears likely to turn to one or both of Dylan Carlson and Alec Burleson in the outfield alongside Jordan Walker to open the 2024 campaign.
• Pirates manager Derek Shelton spoke to reporters (including Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) earlier today to announce that veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal is dealing with plantar fasciitis this spring, which has prevented him from catching over the past two weeks. With that said, Shelton appeared to be optimistic about Grandal’s status, noting that the veteran is expected to return to games in the near future. Grandal signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh last month and figures to feature prominently in the club’s catching mix, which also includes Henry Davis, Jason Delay, and Ali Sanchez among options currently on the 40-man roster. Grandal enters the 2024 season in search of a bounceback after struggling badly across his final two seasons with the White Sox, where he slashed just .219/.305/.306 in a combined 217 games.