Cubs Tweak Starting Rotation Ahead of Tigers Series as Jameson Taillon Returns

The Chicago Cubs' 10-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday gave them their first series win of the second half. They have now come within 6.0 games of the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central, as well as increased their lead to 4.5 games over both the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

If the season ended today, the Cubs would have the top Wild Card spot, sitting ahead of both the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cardinals. It's a decent place to be in mid-July, but it's also a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to secure a postseason spot come September.

We have reached the party of the season where every series feels like it holds a little extra weight. On the surface, that's why it was hard not to like this early second-half draw for the Cubs. The Twins have underwhelmed throughout 2026, and the same goes for the Detroit Tigers, who will now arrive at Wrigley for their own three-game set.

However, as of late, the Tigers aren't playing like a 46-win team that sits fourth in their division. They have actually gone 7-3 in their last 10 games and have won four of their last five series. While they still have an uphill climb ahead of them, there are now some questions about whether the organization will truly join the list of sellers at this season's trade deadline. Of course, Tarik Skubal is seen as one of baseball's biggest prizes. The Tigers' lefty continues to look like an ace with his 2.83 ERA this season.

The Cubs have been one of the many teams connected to Skubal. And they can now do their part in pushing Detroit toward a deal by taking care of business at Wrigley Field. Again, every series matters that much more at this point in the year, so three more losses for Detroit could have a significant impact on their deadline approach.

So, what are the Cubs' chances of pulling off the potentially huge sweep? They have played some good baseball as of late, but we do have some reasons to be concerned about who will be on the mound over these three games.

Cubs vs. Tigers Probable Pitchers

May 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to Jeff Agrest of the Sun-Times, Craig Counsell has locked in his three starters for this second post-All-Star break series at Wrigley Field. And Chicago's first arm on the mound will be making his first appearance since March.

Game 1 – Jameson Taillon vs. Jack Flaherty

Jameson Taillon is back! *crowd goes ... mild*

Look, the Chicago Cubs need all the help they can get in the pitching department. Taillon is a true pro who has many years of steady starting experience under his belt. When he's right, there is no question that the 34-year-old is an effective and mature rotation piece who keeps walks down and forces some routine outs.

With that said, there is no ignoring how bad Jameson Taillon was before his injury. The veteran has just a 5.19 ERA over his 13 starts. Not only has his walk rate trended in the wrong direction, but he's repeatedly been hit for game-changing power. Opponents have smashed 20 homers off him this season, which continues to be tied for the sixth-most in baseball, despite all the missed time.

Taillon last pitched on June 7, when his hamstring injury took him out of the game after just 1.0 innings of work. He gave up two walks and an earned run during that limited action. The hope now is that all this time on the sideline has helped him rebuild some confidence and feel. If he can lock in over these next couple of months, he could become a true x-factor for this banged-up group.

Taillon's return will likely mean the end of Javier Assad's run as a starter. What the Cubs have planned for him, however, remains to be seen. Will he remain a long reliever option in the bullpen, or will they send him back to Iowa to stay extra fresh in case more rotational injuries arise?

Game 2 – David Peterson vs. Framber Valdez

The David Peterson experience has been ... complicated. Acquired from the New York Mets following his early-season struggles, there is no doubt he made more sense in Chicago's system. Not only have they long valued players of his archetype, but they have the elite interior defense to make use of Peterson's ability to induce ground balls.

Nevertheless, after holding the Brewers to just 2 earned runs in his first go-around, he gave up 10 earned runs to the St. Louis Cardinals in 3.2 innings of action. The good news is that he bounced back with only a single run allowed against the Orioles. The bad news is that he still walked four batters.

With that in mind, it's hard to know which version of Peterson we will see at Wrigley this week, especially when considering the Tigers have the lowest ground ball rate in baseball.

Game 3 – Colin Rea vs. Keider Montero

The Cubs are expected to round out the series with Colin Rea. Other than Shota Imanaga, Rea has been arguably Chicago's most dependable arm over the last couple of months. His 4.74 ERA may not drop jaws, but it's been more than serviceable amid the long list of pitching injuries.

Indeed, Rea has allowed only 3 earned runs twice in his last five starts. To be sure, both of those performances came in his last two outings, but it's still something the Cubs can live with. Especially if Rea is able to consistently go 5.0+ innings deep, Craig Counsell has to feel pretty good about his chances.

At the same time, the Cubs will have to be very careful about managing their bullpen in this series. All three of those guys have been yanked early at times, so can Taillon or Peterson go long enough to potentially take some pressure off Rea in the finale?

Sign up for our free newsletter to stay up-to-date with all things Chicago Cubs.

Add us as a preferred source on Google