CINCINNATI — Jameson Taillon went to bed Sunday night knowing he was starting Monday’s series opener at Great American Ball Park.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell told him not to listen to anything, making clear he was still getting the ball Monday as scheduled roughly 24 hours before Tuesday’s 5 p.m. trade deadline. Taillon had been aware of the outside noise with his name emerging among trade rumors.
“At the same time, I still did all my normal work and when you’re out there, it’s the last thing you would ever think of when you’re between the lines so maybe a little extra noise between starts,” Taillon said Monday night. “But when it comes time to get out there and compete, it’s just not even a consideration.”
Following the Cubs’ 7-1 loss to the Reds, Taillon said it was nice to be told directly by Counsell he wasn’t getting scratched from his start.
“I was acting as if I was going to start and then just hearing it let me go to bed last night knowing, like, all right, I’m waking up tomorrow, tomorrow’s the start day, go through the normal routine and all that,” Taillon said.
Taillon, 32, has been one of the most reliable starters in the majors over the last calendar year, making him an attractive pitcher for a postseason contender needing a boost in its rotation. His rough outing Monday against the Reds — six hits and six runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings — doesn’t change his external value. Taillon would not come cheaply since he wouldn’t be a rental. The veteran right-hander is owed $18 million in each of the next two seasons.
Adding to the uniqueness of the situation: Taillon holds a limited 10-team no-trade clause. He said he hadn’t had any conversations about that with the Cubs’ front office and didn’t know if his agent had.
“But I haven’t had to say yes or no to anything,” Taillon said.
More broadly, Taillon stated he hasn’t really had any talks with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer or other higher-ups to express his interest in remaining with the Cubs.
“I’m kind of just here playing, doing my thing so obviously I want to stay here and be here and I just feel like that’s kind of out of my control,” Taillon said. “But I love being here and I love being in Chicago and I love all the guys here. I mean, I don’t feel like I have to go shout it from the rooftops, like, Chicago is a great place to play, Wrigley’s the best, the fans are the best so hopefully it works out.”
The Cubs have taken an opportunistic, big-picture approach to the trade deadline with their two acquisitions over the weekend. Trading for right-hander Nate Pearson and third baseman Isaac Paredes, both of whom have multiple years of team control, are moves that help the Cubs next season.
They got their first look at Pearson in the seventh inning Monday, though it ended abruptly in the eighth. After Jeimer Candelario took him deep, Pearson lost the grip on a two-seam fastball inside to Tyler Stephenson, hitting him in the head. Stephenson took exception to the pitch, believing it to be intentional. The umpires briefly conferred and tossed Pearson for hitting Stephenson, who remained in the game. Counsell was then ejected for arguing Pearson’s errant throw was unintentional.
Paredes was expected to arrive in Cincinnati on Monday night and will join the Cubs on Tuesday.
“I feel like we do have a good group as it is right now,” Taillon said. “And then we went out and made this team better I think and it’s for years to come too so that’s exciting. I know there’s some good free-agent classes coming up and stuff like that so if it doesn’t work out this year, I think we’re in a good spot to be good next year.”
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