The Chicago Cubs walked into spring training confident about their starting rotation and enjoying the kind of depth that lets a team focus more closely on other issues.
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That sense of security, however, may be slipping away as the team gets closer to their March 26 Opening Day.
Shota Imanaga has been getting touched up this spring, despite a boost in velocity and general good health. Swingman Jordan Wicks, who some projected to have a backup role on the staff, is now on the shelf with nerve irritation in his throwing arm.
Add Jameson Taillon’s state of being to those concerns.
Taillon’s stats in his start for Team Canada on Sunday looked decent. He allowed one run in 3.2 innings pitched while striking out three. But he appeared to be fortunate to get out of jams against Panama and his 90.8 mph fastball average was concerning.
Jameson Taillon’s alarmingly bad spring
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All of this is especially troubling when this spring is assessed in its totality. So far, in three Cactus League appearances, the veteran, who will become a free agent at the end of this 2026 season, has allowed 13 earned runs, 6 home runs, and 13 hits in 6 innings.
“He’s not pitching well right now,” Counsell told media after the 34-year-old’s March 2 outing. “But it’s also his third start of the spring.”
“A fly-ball pitcher is going to be a fly-ball pitcher; we’re not going to change that,” Counsell added. “This is spring training. Taillon’s going to start games for us. We’re always working with every guy to get better and improve. We do have to accept that these games are a different status than the games of the regular season and just move forward.”
And, yes, it IS just spring training. But there always has to be concern when a veteran, headed into his tenth year as a major-leaguer, starts losing velocity and begins to get hit hard (and frequently).
Cubs rotation depth tested
Combined with Imanaga’s struggles and Wicks’ injury, there now seems to be some very early strain on the Cubs’ rotation depth, a little more than two weeks away from the start of the season.
Barring injury, Chicago will still make Opening Day with the same projected 5-man rotation of Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, Taillon, and Imanaga and with the same rotation reserves (Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Ben Brown). Justin Steele is also due back from elbow surgery by mid-season.
But with two of the core veterans– Taillon and Imanaga– struggling and injury/durability issues sprinkled throughout the rotation, the Cubs’ starting pitching depth suddenly doesn’t seem to offer that much of a cushion.
Taillon will get every chance to turn things around. He was a key component to the Cubs’ rotation last year, especially in the postseason, and his steady veteran presence will be needed this season as well.
For now, the Cubs move forward and hope for the best.
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