Jameson Taillon’s season has been a rough one by any measure, but the Cubs may finally be nearing the point where they can get him back in the mix. And given the state of Chicago’s rotation, that matters a lot.
Craig Counsell said before Tuesday night’s game at Wrigley Field that Taillon threw this week and could be headed for a rehab outing with an affiliate later in the week. The right-hander last pitched on June 7, so a hamstring issue is set to cost him roughly a month.
Counsell also provided updates on a pair of other pitchers. Drew Pomeranz, who re-joined the organization on a minor-league deal, is getting work in at Triple-A. Daniel Palencia, meanwhile, is still in the early stages of his recovery and is not expected back until after the All-Star break.
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon could go to affiliate and rehab outing later this week. He threw a session today.
LHP Drew Pomeranz is making his way at Triple A.Daniel Palencia just getting started and not expected back until after the All Star break. Updates all from Craig Counsell.
- Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) June 30, 2026
Taillon has not been sharp this season, sitting at -0.6 bWAR with a 5.19 ERA over 13 starts. Still, the Cubs need bodies, and they need innings. Lately, the box scores have looked more like spring training than late June, with Counsell leaning on a patchwork group of arms and an all-hands-on-deck approach just to keep things moving.
If Taillon can return soon, Chicago could shuffle Javier Assad or Colin Rea into a relief role and use the veteran right-hander as a stabilizing long man. That would give the Cubs a little more structure in a rotation that has been battered by injuries all year.
It also gives Taillon a chance to change the story of his 2026 season. He’s in the final year of the four-year, $68 million deal he signed with Chicago before the 2023 season, and while his overall Cubs run has been solid, this stretch has been frustrating. A healthy finish would at least let him end on a stronger note.
For the Cubs, the timing couldn’t be much better. If Taillon comes back effective, it could help them stay on the Brewers’ heels into the second half and give them a better shot at making noise once they’re closer to full strength later this summer.
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