Jameson Taillon’s place in the Cubs’ rotation is suddenly looking a lot less secure, and Craig Counsell didn’t exactly shut the door after another rough outing.
Taillon started Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and got hit hard almost immediately. He allowed seven runs in the first three innings, including a grand slam in the third, and his season total climbed to 25 home runs allowed after surrendering three more on the day. That ties him for the most home runs allowed by any pitcher in baseball.
With Taillon lined up to start against the New York Yankees on Friday, Counsell was asked after the game whether the home run issues and overall struggles mean the Cubs need to rethink that assignment. His answer left plenty to chew on.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell on whether Jameson Taillon's home run issues/struggles require reevaluation as to whether he makes his next start: "I think we've got to discuss it, yeah. We've got days to figure that out, but we have to discuss what's best for the staff in general."
- Meghan Montemurro (@MegMontemurro) July 26, 2026
That kind of language suggests the Cubs are at least considering a role change, even if a full move on from Taillon still feels unlikely right now. Chicago’s pitching depth is too thin for that to be the easy answer. Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera, Justin Steele, and Cade Horton are all on the injured list, and that reality is probably keeping Taillon in the picture through the trade deadline.
Still, Sunday was another reminder of how badly the Cubs need help in the rotation. Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga look like safe bets for the postseason rotation, but beyond that, the picture gets murky fast. Cabrera would almost certainly be in line for a start if healthy, and the final spot may come down to whoever the Cubs bring in before the deadline.
That’s where Taillon’s situation gets tricky. If he’s not starting, there isn’t an obvious bullpen fit either. His pitch mix doesn’t make him a natural relief option, and keeping him in the rotation after these results would be hard to justify.
For now, the Cubs are stuck waiting. If they land the starter they need before the deadline, that could end up being the move that finally closes the book on Taillon’s run in Chicago.
In Other News...
Cubs Fans Just Got Another Reason To Sweat The Trade Deadline
The days leading into the Aug. 3 trade deadline have already put Cubs fans on edge, and two of the organizations most prominent prospects only added to the unease. Moises Ballesteros and Kevin Alcantara each posted motivational, somewhat cryptic messages on Instagram, a small but noticeable wrinkle at a time when every roster move and social media hint gets parsed for meaning.
Alcantaras recent demotion back to Triple-A and the Cubs decision to call up James Triantos for his MLB debut instead of bringing Ballesteros back up only sharpened the focus on both players. Chicago is expected to be active at the deadline, and while nothing has been confirmed, the clubs need for starting pitching has only intensified the speculation around how far it might go to address the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Fans Wont Love This New Cubs Trade Prediction
Pitching remains the obvious pressure point for the Cubs, and it is the kind of need that tends to get louder as a season wears on. Chicago has already shown a willingness to look to New York for help, landing David Peterson earlier this summer, and CBS Sports analyst Mike Axisa has now floated a far more aggressive idea for the 2026 trade deadline: a fresh round of Mets pitching as the Cubs try to patch together a staff that has been hit by injuries and uneven performance.
The most intriguing name in the prediction is Freddy Peralta, whose recent numbers have made him a classic buy-low candidate if the right market develops. Axisa also sees Chicago as a fit for Huascar Brazoban, with the Cubs potentially circling back to the Mets for relief help as well, and that kind of repeated business would say plenty about how urgently the front office views this problem. For now it is only a projection, but it is the sort of speculation that makes the deadline feel a lot closer for a team still searching for stability on the mound. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Got A New Bullpen Opening They Could Exploit
Dennis Santanas season has turned into the kind of bullpen profile that can still draw interest even as the results wobble. After a strong run a year ago, when he handled closing duties effectively and finished with 16 saves and a 2.18 ERA, the right-hander has not come close to matching that form this season, and the command issues have been part of the problem.
For the Cubs, that creates the sort of low-cost opening front offices often circle before the trade deadline. Chicago has been exploring ways to deepen its relief group, and Santana fits the familiar buy-low mold: a pitcher with recent leverage experience, a track record that is better than his current numbers, and enough uncertainty attached to make the next step worth watching. [Read more 🡒]