Jameson Taillon's injury creates massive need in Cubs rotation for innings eaters

Jameson Taillon's calf injury announcement on Friday morning has created an even more dire need for pitching reinforcements. Taillon has been efficient for the most part this year, but home run issues and two recent clunkers against the Brewers and Cardinals ballooned his season stats to a 4.44 ERA, 5.17 FIP and 22 homers allowed 17 starts.

What Taillon has given pretty consistently has been innings. This season, he's gone six or more innings in 10 of his outings, and as we know in this day and age, going six is a pretty good day at the office. He's averaged just shy of 6.0 innings per start since the beginning of 2024 (45 starts). Getting through 162 games, especially if you are looking to contend, means you're going to need quality arms and innings. This is where losing Taillon is tough, even if he is not an ace or frontline starter.

Cubs need pitchers who can go deep in games following Jameson Taillon injury

With Taillon sidelined, the Cubs will likely need to look to add multiple starting pitchers at the trade deadline. Even when he comes back, which, according to Craig Counsell, will take over a month, getting more innings is going to be important. Right now, the starter you trust to go deep into a game is Matthew Boyd, as Shota Imanaga is still building back from his hamstring injury, Cade Horton (while spectacular on Thursday night) is a rookie with limited bullets in him, and Colin Rea is pitching more like a spot starter. The Cubs called up Jordan Wicks, but he hasn't gone more than five innings in an appearance in Iowa this year.

While the Cubs ideally can get one of the better available starters at the deadline, it might be good to start shopping for guys who can chew up innings and at least keep you in a game. As alluded to before, part of being a contending team is buying innings to get through 162, even if the arm(s) needed to do that are not the high-end guys with eye-popping stats. Obviously, you don't want someone who is completely ineffective, but one who can help stabilize and ease the burden on the bullpen is vital to a contending team.

This is where the Cubs can potentially get arms for cheaper that can at least bring some value. It could also beg the question if a bigger trade for Mitch Keller, who can give you plenty of quality innings, is worth it. That might cost a bit more, but if you get solid depth from him, then there is a ton of value in that.

Much of what the Cubs can do and when will be dictated by the market. But, Jed Hoyer and company will no doubt be busy on the phones and monitoring every corner of the pitching market. Before we know it, the deadline will be here, but it would be ideal if they can start adding some help as soon as possible.