Stop me if you have heard this before, but the biggest need for the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline is starting pitching. That is true even if Jameson Taillon is at his best. The problem they have right now is that Taillon is really struggling – especially when it comes to giving up home runs. In 2024, Taillon posted a 3.62 ERA in 21 starts and allowed 17 home runs. Through just 16 starts this season, he has already allowed 21 home runs. That is the second highest total in Major League Baseball.

Earlier in the season Taillon was able to get away with it because the home runs he was giving up were mostly solo home runs. That has not been the case in his most recent starts. In the past two games, both against division opponents who are closely trailing the Cubs in the standings, he has given up five home runs. Only two of those home runs have been solo shots.

Taillon did have a really good stretch this season. In 12 starts from April 4th to June 6th, he posted 11 quality starts. His ERA sat at just 3.48 before the start against the Milwaukee Brewers last week. His ERA is all the way up to 4.47 after giving up 13 earned runs in eight innings against the Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cubs have hit a rough patch here losing five of their last six. They will look to salvage a split of the four-game series against the Cardinals starting on Wednesday night when Matthew Boyd faces Erick Fedde.