The Chicago Cubs announced this morning that they are placing Jameson Taillon on the injured list with a strained calf that he suffered while training. Craig Counsell said that Taillon is expected to miss a “significant amount of time.” Taillon had a rough June posting a 5.57 ERA in six starts.

Even with his rough June, this is a brutal blow for the Cubs. You can count on a veteran like Taillon to right the ship as the season goes along. Chicago already needed to add a couple of pitchers at the trade deadline. This injury makes that need even more pressing. Jed Hoyer may not be able to afford to wait until the end of July to make a move.

In the corresponding roster move, the Cubs recalled Jordan Wicks from Iowa. He will most likely take Taillon’s scheduled start on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley. Wicks has a 4.06 ERA in 11 starts this season for Iowa. He has been better in his last three starts throwing eleven innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out 16.

Wicks was the Cubs’ first-round pick, 21st overall, in the 2021 MLB Draft.