The Chicago Cubs have had a pretty charmed 2025 so far. They’re in first place atop the NL Central Division. They possess one of the most potent and versatile offenses in the game. They’ve even managed to jerry-rig a ragtag group of castoff arms into one of the best bullpens in the league.
Where they’ve taken it on the chin, though, is with their starting pitching.
Losing ace Justin Steele for the season with an elbow injury in early April was followed by losing co-ace Shota Imanaga in early May due to hamstring injury. And all of that was preceded by losing projected fifth starter Javier Assad due to an oblique issue. As of this writing, Imanaga has begun his rehab assignment while Assad is set to just begin throwing off a mound again.
So, with 60% of their starting rotation down, Jameson Taillon’s emergence as a steady, consistent starting rotation piece has been beyond well-received.
Taillon Steps Up
Taillon’s 6.2 inning, 2-earned run performance Thursday night in the Cubs’ 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates spotlights the veteran’s importance on a staff that might otherwise be limping its way to the hopes of a trade deadline rotation acquisition to save them.
In his last five outings, the 33-year-old has delivered 5 straight quality starts, brought home 5 wins, and has posted a 1.90 ERA. All of this has come at the exact perfect time for a staff starting to show the realities of a rotation manned by a sophomore (Ben Brown), a rookie (Cade Horton), and a veteran swing man (Colin Rea).
Along with free agent acquisition Matthew Boyd, Taillon has been the anchor of a decimated starting rotation, working his way to a 3.48 ERA and, at the very least, providing innings when his stuff has been less than stellar.
“Words like ‘consistent’ and ‘reliable’ sometimes don’t feel like they do Jameson enough justice,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told media. “But it’s so valuable in the starting pitcher world because those two attributes affect the eight guys in the bullpen tomorrow or yesterday or Saturday.
“The innings he delivers is another big piece. It doesn’t seem like the most exciting thing. But for a starting pitcher, it’s a really important part of helping everybody else around you, and he consistently does it.”
Assuming a Leadership Role
According to Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy, Taillon’s leadership by example goes hand in hand with the role he’s taken as a team mentor.
“The definition of a leader, for me, is someone who can connect with various people, not just people in your group or your clique,” Hottovy told The Athletic. “He’s got the ability to connect with rookies, with position players, with bench players, with veterans because he asks questions.
“He’ll ask real questions of young players: ‘What were you thinking there?’ Very much how a coach would because he wants to hear you talk about it. That’s why guys gravitate toward him. Most people, when they need something, they come to you. Not many guys are coming to you asking what you need: ‘What can I help you with?’
Chicago Cubs’ Jon Lester of 2025?
More and more, it’s looking as though Taillon is assuming the role Jon Lester played on the world champion Cubs of 2016– a clubhouse leader as well as an on-field positive presence.
“I take a lot of pride in being out there, being available,” Taillon told media, “because I’ve been the hurt guy before, and I feel like I kind of reinvented myself a little bit. I’ve been able to — knock on wood — stay on the field and be a guy that our position players can look forward to seeing on the mound every fifth day.
“I’ve invested a lot in myself and been disciplined to get to this point where I can be a little more consistent, understand my strengths, understand my routine, who I am as a person and how that translates to the game. It’s being someone that your manager and teammates can just kind of hand the ball to and say, ‘We know he’s got it. He’s under control. He knows what he’s doing.’”
If Taillon continues his good work, Imanaga comes back, Boyd stays his course, and the Cubs front office can make that big starting rotation trade everyone is hoping for, things look extremely bright for a deep and productive postseason run.
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