The Toronto Blue Jays made their first notable move ahead of the deadline on Sunday, landing right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later or cash considerations, according to a team announcement.
It’s not the kind of splashy swing that changes a market. More than anything, this is Toronto taking a cheap shot on a veteran arm after a rough season in Chicago.
Taillon was designated for assignment on July 27 after putting together a 2-6 record with a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts. The home run damage was severe: 25 allowed in 76 innings, which tied for the National League lead. His 6.74 FIP was the worst mark among 131 pitchers with at least 70 innings, which helps explain why the Cubs were willing to move on and why the Blue Jays didn’t have to give up much to get him.
Still, Toronto isn’t buying him for what he’s done this year. The appeal is tied to the pitcher Taillon was not long ago. He logged a 3.45 ERA over 51 starts between 2024 and 2025, finished last season with a 1.85 ERA across his final seven outings, then delivered four scoreless innings in Chicago’s National League Wild Card Series clincher and helped the Cubs win an elimination game in the Division Series.
That’s the version of Taillon the Blue Jays are hoping to tap back into. He doesn’t have to become an ace for this to matter. If he can give Toronto steady innings over the final two months, that alone would be useful - especially if the club decides to keep reshaping the roster and moves Kevin Gausman or Shane Bieber before Monday’s deadline.
In Other News...
Astros Suddenly Caught In A Blue Jays Pitching Situation
The Blue Jays found themselves in an uneasy spot against Houston when Trey Yesavages night ended early, cutting short a start that had barely gotten going. He was replaced by Chad Dallas in the third inning, leaving Toronto to piece together the rest of the game without one of its arms after an abrupt exit that came during warmup between innings.
Yesavages departure was tied to discomfort, but the club has not said exactly what caused it, and that uncertainty hangs over Torontos pitching plans for the moment. For a team trying to manage every inning carefully, the details around his status matter almost as much as the game itself, especially with no immediate explanation from the Blue Jays. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Suddenly Face An Emotional Reunion Game At Wrigley
Thursdays makeup game at Wrigley Field suddenly carries a lot more emotional weight than a routine midweek rescheduling usually does. The Blue Jays and Cubs are back together after a pitcher swap, and the postponed series finale now lines up as a reunion of sorts, with the kind of built-in subplot that can make a late-summer game feel much bigger than the standings suggest.
The most compelling part is on the mound, where both sides are set to run out starters who know the other dugout well. Kevin Gausman and Jameson Taillon each arrive with seasons that have had their share of rough patches, which only adds to the intrigue around a game that already has a strange, almost personal feel to it. For Toronto, it is one of those nights where the box score may matter, but the backstory matters just as much. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Made A Telling Choice With Adam Macko
The Blue Jays kept shaping their roster with an eye toward depth and flexibility when they moved pitcher Adam Macko to Texas and brought back utility infielder Josh Smith along with Triple-A right-hander Josh Stephan. It was the kind of swap that says plenty about where Toronto sees its needs right now: Smith gives the club a versatile bench option, while Stephan adds another arm to the organizations pitching pipeline.
Macko, a left-handed pitcher with a four-pitch mix, had never quite found steady major-league footing in Toronto, and his recent injury concerns only sharpened the question of how much runway he had left with the club. For the Blue Jays, the deal looks like a calculation between upside and reliability, with the immediate appeal lying in players who can help cover more spots and absorb innings while the front office keeps building out the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]