Jameson Taillon Designated For Assignment In The Final Year Of His Cubs Deal

The Chicago Cubs designated Jameson Taillon for assignment Monday, one day after his final start ended with three home runs and seven earned runs allowed in four innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 8-7 loss.

Manager Craig Counsell had said after that game that a decision on Taillon's future was coming. It came the next morning.

Taillon, 34, finishes his Cubs tenure at 2-6 with a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts, and leads the National League with 25 home runs allowed this season.

He was in the final year of the four-year, $68 million contract he signed ahead of the 2023 season, making approximately $8 million for the remainder of the year. The Cubs will absorb that money. Given his struggles, trade interest is considered unlikely.

His three prior seasons in Chicago were solid, a 3.93 ERA across 449 and a third innings and a 3.27 ERA in 2024 that included a strong Wild Card postseason appearance against the Padres. This year was a different story.

The home run rate tripled from his career norms. The ERA ballooned. The Cubs, currently in Wild Card position and looking to add rotation help ahead of the August 3 deadline, have enough depth to move on.

Andrew Wantz was selected from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Javier Assad is expected to take Taillon's spot in the rotation.