Jameson Taillon’s shellacking a reminder that Cubs’ starters still working on issues
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Shota Imanaga wasn’t trusted for more than 2 2/3 innings in the National League Division Series last fall. Jameson Taillon is having a bad spring. Matthew Boyd’s start against Class A minor-leaguers Sunday didn’t exactly result in a line score suggesting “Opening Day-ready.”
No one will be shocked if all five members of the Cubs’ rotation — Boyd, Cade Horton, Imanaga, Edward Cabrera and Taillon, in that order — have five- or six-inning quality starts out of the gate this season. But for now, some cringing is allowed, even over spring results, especially if Taillon himself was wincing after the Dodgers blitzed him for 10 runs Sunday.
“Uncompetitive” is how Taillon, who has allowed eight homers that are largely the reason for his 22.18 ERA in camp, described that start. It was “a big step back,” he said, after his decent start for Canada in the World Baseball Classic.
“Look, Jaimo has had a tough spring, and he had a rough outing,” manager Craig Counsell said Monday. “We’ve got more spring training left, and he probably has two starts left. So we have time to change directions there. And this is spring training, so the results don’t affect us. That’s the fortunate part of where we’re at.”
The “spring-training results don’t matter” belief has merit, said Boyd, an 11-year veteran. But Taillon looks far from ready for the season to begin.
“What’s hard in spring training [is] there are so many things we work on that are hard to communicate to the general public,” Boyd told the Sun-Times. “There are so many different things that we’re working on that we won’t see in the stat sheet. We always want to compete and have success, to put up zeroes.”
However, workload and pitch sequences are often the top priorities.
“I might have one inning left, and this isn’t the hitter or hitters I want to do this sequence to, but I still have to do it,” Boyd said. “You want to make sure that box is checked before Opening Day.”
Boyd has allowed one earned run over 4⅔ innings in spring-training games and gave up three runs over 2⅓ innings in the WBC. Horton had allowed six earned runs over 5⅔ innings going into his start against the Reds on Monday night. Imanaga has allowed six earned runs and 12 hits, including four homers, over 8⅓ innings. Cabrera has allowed just one run over 8⅓.
So, with one or two starts remaining for each rotation member, it has been a mixed bag — but the Cubs are sleeping OK knowing they have depth. Left-hander Justin Steele was sharp in his first live batting practice as he eyes a return, perhaps in May, from elbow surgery. And 6-6 right-hander Ben Brown left close Cubs observers marveling with a crisp four-inning, one-run performance Saturday against the Rockies.
Brown has “rotation guy” written all over his future and might have to start the season at Triple-A Iowa in that role, unless the Cubs keep him for long relief work early on.
“Definite strength,” Boyd said of the rotation. “Strength in talent, in the upside and the depth. You need all of that to go through the season. You’re excited about the progress of Edward Cabrera, with this pitching department and the defense. You’re excited about Cade in his second year in the big leagues, with all he’s learned. Shota, who he is when he’s right — and he’s showing [upticks in velocity]. Jaimo being the constant veteran that he is. And there is depth behind them.”