The Chicago Cubs currently trail the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central division race. However, Chicago sits just three games back of Milwaukee as of this story's publication. If the Cubs want to win the division, they will need players aside from their stars to step up. Additionally, Chicago needs their key guys who are struggling to get things going.
Cody Bellinger's resurgence has proved to be crucial for the Cubs in 2023. The signing of Dansby Swanson has also worked out for the most part. Pitching, though, has led to uncertainty for Chicago. Marcus Stroman is the Cubs' ace and he enjoyed a stellar first half of the season. After struggling in July, however, Stroman was placed on the injured list and hasn't pitched since.
If the Cubs are going to win the division, or even make the playoffs as an NL Wild Card team, they need their pitching to step up. One hurler who the Cubs added to the rotation prior to the 2023 season is Jameson Taillon. He was expected to improve the pitching staff but Taillon has struggled mightily for the most part in 2023. The Cubs need him to figure things out in order to win the NL Central though.
*Stats via Baseball Reference.
Cubs need Jameson Taillon to step up amid NL Central race with Brewers
Taillon turned in a respectable 3.91 ERA in 2022 with the New York Yankees. He displayed signs of being a star and was reliable at the very least during the '22 campaign. His 151 strikeouts in 177.1 innings surely caught the attention of the Cubs and other teams for that matter.
Chicago ultimately decided to bring him in and make him apart of the rotation. If one would have told the Cubs that Taillon would have a 5.27 ERA in mid-September, they wouldn't have expected the team to be anywhere close to contending. But here we are in mid-September and the Cubs are in the midst of a division race despite Taillon's frustrations.
He owns a 1.298 WHIP in addition to his lackluster 5.27 ERA. Taillon has recorded 122 strikeouts over 133.1 innings pitched, and recently spun six shutout innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks while striking out nine. Perhaps that outing against Arizona will spark a rebound down the stretch for Taillon.
So why do the Cubs specifically need Jameson Taillon to step up?
Chicago's pitching questions
As aforementioned, Stroman is on the IL. Justin Steele has emerged as another ace-caliber pitcher with his effort this season. He can't do it alone though. Kyle Hendricks has been decent in 2023 but Chicago still needs another pitcher whom they can truly rely on.
No, the answer isn't veteran Drew Smyly. Instead, it is Jameson Taillon.
The Cubs would obviously love to have Stroman in the rotation down the stretch amid their pursuit of the Brewers in the NL Central. With Stroman still injured though, Steele, Hendricks, and Taillon must all be at the top of their games in order for Chicago to pull off the upset and win the division.
In the end, the Cubs will have a chance to clinch an NL Wild Card spot if they fail to win the division. Chicago currently holds the second wild card position, trailing only the Philadelphia Phillies. That said, they are just two games ahead of the Diamondbacks, and there are three other teams sitting just outside of the NL Wild Card.
If Jameson Taillon builds off his latest outing and performs well down the stretch, the Cubs will at least reach the postseason as an NL Wild Card team, and they might just shock the Brewers and win the division.
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