Taillon helping usher in optimistic new era of Cubs' rotation

CHICAGO – Jameson Taillon remembers what it was like to come play the Cubs on the road when he was pitching for the Pirates earlier in his career. During Chicago’s last period of multiple playoff runs and division crowns, he felt an intimidation factor when arriving at Wrigley Field.

That is the kind of environment Taillon hopes to experience with the Cubs as soon as next season.

“It was scary to come to Wrigley and play,” Taillon said. “That should be our expectation. Teams shouldn't want to come in here and play the Cubs. Wrigley shouldn't be a fun road trip. Chicago shouldn't be a fun road trip for other teams. They should come in here and say, ‘We're going to get worked for three days.’”

On Friday afternoon, Taillon worked the Nationals over for six shutout innings, leading the Cubs to a 3-1 victory at the Friendly Confines. And while the North Siders’ playoff hopes are down to mathematical percentage points with eight games to go, Taillon and the rotation have maintained a workmanlike approach in the march to the season’s finish line.

When the Cubs’ decision-makers sit down to assess the roster this offseason, they will at least see a starting staff that should remain the backbone of the team. Through all the year’s ups and downs – including injury setbacks to every member of the rotation with the exception of Shota Imanaga – the starters have been a steady source of production.

The rotation has turned in a 3.81 ERA as a group, ranking third in the National League in that category. The unit has been led by Taillon, Imanaga and Justin Steele, with Javier Assad shedding the “unproven” label with a solid ‘24 showing as well. That entire group is under contract or control for ‘25, with a group of young arms filling out the depth chart behind them.

“Those three guys are kind of the guys you put in the consistency bucket,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said of Taillon, Imanaga and Steele. “You feel like you can build around those three guys. And the way that Assad has pitched for two years now? When you start talking about that, now you’ve got a good foundation to work off.”

If the Cubs were to add an impact starter over the winter, that would certainly enhance the intimidation factor Taillon referenced.

Taillon’s six shutout frames against Washington – backed by a solo homer in the first by Dansby Swanson and a two-run pinch-hit single by Mike Tauchman in the seventh – lowered his ERA to 1.08 in his four September outings. Even after opening the year on the injured list, the big right-hander has piled up 158 1/3 innings with a 3.41 ERA (his best mark since 2018).

After Friday’s win, Taillon said he was browsing the team’s stats and pointed out that Chicago has four starters who have logged at least 130 innings. Only nine teams in the Majors, including three (Cubs, Phillies, and Nationals) in the National League can make that claim.

“That's something to take pride in,” Taillon said.

Taillon called veteran Kyle Hendricks the “ultimate pro” for how he has handled his turbulent season while remaining a leader behind the scenes. If this is the last season with the Cubs for the last remaining member of the ‘16 World Series champions, Hendricks was able to be a voice and example for the younger arms following behind him.

While pitchers Hayden Wesneski, Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown have been limited to 163 innings combined this season due to a variety of injuries, Taillon said he saw growth off the field that is not found on a stat sheet. That trio, plus the likely arrival of top pitching prospect Cade Horton (MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 Cubs prospect and No. 28 overall), offers hope for the state of the rotation going forward.

“I'm very optimistic,” Steele said. “I feel like everyone should be.”

Cubs manager Craig Counsell agreed that the depth of the rotation is in a good place heading into an important offseason.

“We have a number of young pitchers that have started games,” Counsell said, “and frankly, have had success in the big leagues starting games. Now, really with all of them, there’s been injuries and it’s not a big sample, as of yet. But, I think that’s kind of the nature of pitching also, and that’s the nature of young pitching.

“So, we’re in a good spot in terms of that area of depth, I think. But as we saw this year, it disappeared quickly and went away quickly, because of the injuries. And that’s why you’re always just cautious with that area of the team.”