Taillon out – Jameson Taillon will miss the Cubs’ games until after the All-Star break after straining his left hamstring in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco. Chicago has moved to shuffle its pitching and roster options as the rotation continues to be thinned by multiple inju
DENVER — Jameson Taillon’s night ended early, and now the Chicago Cubs expect the injury to follow them for weeks.
The right-hander is projected to miss games until after the All-Star break with a strained left hamstring. Taillon exited Sunday’s game against San Francisco in the second inning. and the Cubs placed him on the 15-day injury list on Tuesday before opening a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies.
Chicago’s response has been immediate and constant. the kind of roster churn that usually comes with a pitching staff already stretched thin. The Cubs reinstated outfielder/infielder Matt Shaw from the 10-day IL and recalled right-handers Ethan Roberts and Tyler Ferguson from Triple-A Iowa. Designated hitter Kevin Alcántara was optioned to Iowa, and pitcher Trent Thornton was placed on the paternity list.
For the Cubs, Taillon’s absence stacks another difficulty onto a rotation missing Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton and Justin Steele. Boyd, the opening-day starter, is nearing a return and is slated to pitch over the weekend in San Francisco.
Taillon’s own numbers this season add weight to the timing of the setback. The 24-year-old threw an inning on Sunday, allowing a run, before departing in the second with the injury. He is 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA.
Manager Craig Counsell spoke Tuesday before the game. framing the All-Star break as the point where the Cubs can start gaining margin again. “After the All-Star break, I think, would be what we’re shooting for,” Counsell said. “The margins become … it makes losing somebody else more daunting, obviously. So that’s just the way we’re at. and guys are going to have some opportunities for the next month or so. until we get to the All-Star break. because of it.”.
With Taillon sidelined, the Cubs are leaning on the players they can get back and the ones they can piece into roles. Shaw’s return is one of those moves, even as the team adjusts to life without its starter. Shaw is hitting .242 with three homers and 12 RBIs.
Shaw, reinstated from the 10-day IL, sounded ready for whatever his new workload looks like between now and the break. “Ready to help in any way I can,” he said. “Whatever that looks like. whatever that kind of manifests into. whether it’s some of those late-inning pinch-running situations. I look forward to those.”.
Taillon’s injury is the latest hit to a rotation the Cubs have been forced to reorganize almost continuously. Until the All-Star break, Chicago will have to make those opportunities count, because losing another starter when the margins are already thin has become the reality of their season.
Chicago Cubs Jameson Taillon All-Star break strained left hamstring 15-day injury list Matt Shaw Ethan Roberts Tyler Ferguson Kevin Alcántara Trent Thornton Matthew Boyd Cade Horton Justin Steele Colorado Rockies San Francisco
Hamstring injuries are the worst. Dude probably shoulda taken a day off.
So wait is this like after the All-Star break he’ll come back or is he out the whole season? They said weeks and then after break… my brain can’t do sports math lol.
Opening day starter almost back and then Taillon goes down too. That’s gotta be management’s fault for not having depth, like why are they constantly shuffling everyone.
They moved Matt Shaw off the IL and called up random pitchers but optioned the DH? That seems backwards. Also Trent Thornton on paternity list like okay but doesn’t that make it worse for rotation? I dunno, Cubs just always dealing with injuries somehow.