{"id":152609,"date":"2022-12-09T07:59:22","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T07:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/why-jameson-taillon-was-the-cubs-top-pitching-target\/"},"modified":"2022-12-09T07:59:22","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T07:59:22","slug":"why-jameson-taillon-was-the-cubs-top-pitching-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/why-jameson-taillon-was-the-cubs-top-pitching-target\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Jameson Taillon was the Cubs’ top pitching target"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

SAN DIEGO \u2014 When qualifying offers were handed out, the Cubs quickly whittled down their list of top pitching targets. The price for Chris Bassitt or Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t going to make sense to them if it meant giving up a draft pick along with what’s turned into contracts that are almost double what some front offices were originally.<\/p>\n

When ranking the starting pitchers without qualifying offers attached to their names, Justin Verlander was atop their list. Unless his market cratered and lingered in free agency in 2023, it was unlikely the Cubs were going to aggressively pursue the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. But next on that list was Jameson Taillon. As prices escalated and pitchers continued to fly off the market, the Cubs realized they had to be aggressive to land their guy. By Tuesday evening, they’d secured Taillon to a four-year, $68 million contract. It’s the same years and $4 million less than Taijuan Walker received from Philadelphia, but in the Cubs’ view, they believe they’ve landed the better arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s a guy we’ve had our eye on for a long time,\u201d team president Jed Hoyer said while surrounded by members of the Chicago media at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. \u201cHe’s a really good starting pitcher, he’s really consistent and he’s continued to get better as he’s gotten healthier in his career. He’s showing the promise he had, obviously he was the second pick in the draft. Really good (pitch) mix, good command and fantastic makeup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taillon was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2010 draft behind only Bryce Harper, one pick ahead of Manny Machado. His pedigree is clear, even if the results have n’t lived up to that lofty status. Taillon was slowed by Tommy John surgery once in the minors in 2014 and then again five years later before being traded to the New York Yankees prior to the 2021 season.<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old righty made 32 starts in 2022, logged 177 1\/3 innings and posted a 3.91 ERA, which was right around league average. Finally healthy, the Cubs hope they’re getting a pitcher who is just now finding his rhythm and entering his best years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly hope so,\u201d Hoyer said when asked if Taillon is on the upswing. \u201cObviously it was kind of a rocky road for him early on. Since he’s been healthy with the Yankees, he’s pitched really well. There’s still more in the tank.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Jameson Taillon, 6th, 7th and 8th Ks. pic.twitter.com\/nh5TqUI7gc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 18, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The reality is Taillon is coming from a Yankees organization that has done a strong job maximizing pitching talent in recent years. Taillon has brilliant command \u2014 his 4.4 percent walk rate last year was the sixth-lowest in baseball among qualified starters \u2014 but lacks true swing-and-miss stuff (20.7 percent strikeout rate in 2022). Expecting the Cubs, who have had success in extracting extra value from pitchers in recent years, to take him to another level is probably unfair. But there is a possibility some tweaks can be made.<\/p>\n

But ultimately, the Cubs believe they’re adding a really talented, solid pitcher to their rotation and creating more depth to an essential unit of their team.<\/p>\n

\u201cPitching wins,\u201d Hoyer said. \u201cPitching and defense is such a big part of the game. The stretches last year where we struggled, it was because we didn’t have enough pitching. The stretches that we were a good team, we pitched well and had good defense. You can’t have enough pitching. Obviously it was an aggressive pitching market and we’re really excited to get a guy we targeted from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some may see $17 million a year through the 2026 season as too much for a pitcher who has never made an All-Star team or garnered even a down-ballot Cy Young Award vote. But that’s what the market demanded. When wading into free-agent waters, it’s hard not to give out contracts that some may view as an overpay.<\/p>\n

Taillon will join a rotation that has Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele as the only clear locks for 2023. Kyle Hendricks’ health will be a question entering the season, so where he falls is hard to know. Hayden Wesneski will have a shot to build off his brilliant debut in 2022, potentially earning a spot in the rotation, and Adrian Sampson will surely have a shot as well. It’s likely the Cubs add one more starter this winter, which would continue to create depth and make sure they’re strong even if injuries inevitably pile up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t think you can ever feel like you’re full in that regard,\u201d Hoyer said when asked if they’ll remain active in the starting pitcher market.<\/p>\n

Last season, when the Cubs struggled early in the year, they had to call upon the likes of Matt Swarmer, Sean Newcomb and Mark Leiter Jr. to fill gaps in the rotation. By the end of the summer, youngsters like Wesneski and Javier Assad had emerged as viable, quality options and the veteran Sampson had turned his career around and become a valuable starter. The hope is that by the end of the offseason, they’ll have created enough redundancies in this area that they can better weather those difficult moments.<\/p>\n

Adbert Alzolay and Keegan Thompson look much better as multi-inning weapons out of the bullpen than starters. Having either of them along with Assad, Wesneski and Sampson available as options to help if injuries occur is better than trying to rely on them for 30 starts.<\/p>\n

The best teams in baseball have good solutions when difficult situations arise. The Cubs aren’t yet back to being among the top teams in the game, but that’s ultimately the goal. By bringing in Cody Bellinger they continue to upgrade their defense and adding Taillon bolsters the rotation. When they won it all in 2016, it was because they had an elite defense that backed up strong pitchers. It appears Hoyer is trying to build another winner with that same philosophy in mind.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Gene J. Puskar \/ Associated Press)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n