The Chicago Cubs entered 2026 with one of the most high powered teams in Major League Baseball, and after some significant additions in recent years, this is a team that expected to contend for a World Series, despite being in one of baseball’s toughest divisions, with the back-to-back World Series Champions also sitting in their league.
With a record of 59-46, they’re well on their way to the post-season, and while they sit second in the National League Central behind the usually dominant Milwaukee Brewers, this is a team that’s dealt with plenty of injuries throughout the early parts of the 2026 season. On top of that, the trade deadline is now a week away, and with so much change expected for the Cubs, they’ve started things off announcing a shock decision on Monday.
Chicago Cubs Make a Move With Veteran Jameson Taillon
GettyJameson Taillon of the Chicago Cubs.
For much of the 2026 season and the past four years with the Cubs, veteran Jameson Taillon has been a consistent arm that can be relied upon to give the team steady innings, and in 2026, that’s been absolutely no different.
However, with the team hoping to get a much more dominant rotation settled ahead of a potential Fall Classic run, the team have officially announced on Monday that they have designated the 34-year-old right-hander for assignment.
This move comes despite all of the injuries that this rotation has dealt with in 2026, with the likes of Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown all dealing with significant stints on the Injured List at points throughout the 2026 campaign. During the season, Taillon has started 15 games for the Cubs, posting a 2-6 record in that time with a 5.92 ERA, and while the team are desperate for arms in their starting rotation, a WAR of -0.9 in 76.0 innings of work just isn’t going to cut it in 2026.
Where to for the Cubs Rotation Now?
With Boyd healthy and Shota Imanaga leading the way, the Cubs are solidified at the top of their rotation, but with the announcement regarding Taillon, it’s safe to say that the organization are looking to make some additions, and whether or not that’s targeting Tarik Skubal, they’ll still need some new arms for the rotation.
As for the career of Taillon, things have been trending down in recent years for the 34-year-old, and with a career high WHIP of 1.36 this season, there are question marks on whether or not he can be a consistent starter at the highest level moving forward.
Ultimately, whether or not the Cubs made this decision, they still needed to upgrade their starting rotation, and with so many potential pieces available heading into the deadline, if they can beef up a rotation led by Imanaga and Boyd, this is a team that has enough talent all over their roster to be a threat in the National League, even against some of baseball’s toughest competition.
Chicago Cubs Make Surprise Decision on 10-Year MLB Veteran