What's the Next Move After Cubs Shockingly DFA Veteran Starter Jameson Taillon?

The Chicago Cubs aren't messing around to start trade deadline week.

Following another ghastly start by veteran arm Jameson Taillon, the organization has designated him for assignment. They will call up 30-year-old Andrew Wantz in his place, who signed with the franchise in early June before being assigned to the Iowa Cubs.

Taillon has been a mainstay in the Cubs' rotation over the last handful of years. This is why few expected front office leader Jed Hoyer to go the DFA route. Instead, it felt like the team would either ride with Taillon in hopes that he would stabilize or perhaps attempt to move him to the bullpen.

Nevertheless, Taillon's Sunday night performance proved to be the straw on the camel's back. He allowed 7 earned runs to the Pirates with three home runs. It bumped him to a total of 25 allowed homers this season, which is tied for the second most in the MLB this season. It's a telling and troubling stat, particularly when we consider Taillon has only 15 starts under his belt due to some time on the IL.

Overall, Taillon's ERA sits at 5.92. Finding the zone and limiting walks was also his bread-and-butter in the past, but we've seen his walk rate jump to 8.3 percent this season after sitting at just 5.2 percent in 2025.

It's the unfortunate truth that Taillon became a liability on the mound. It's why Counsell even suggested on Sunday night that the writing was on the wall with the crafty-throwing righty.

"I think we've got to discuss it, yeah," Counsell said of not allowing Taillon to make his next schedule start (h/t Megan Montemurro). "We've got days to figure that out, but we have to discuss what's best for the staff in general."

Still, a full DFA comes as a surprise, even if it is the right move. Taillon was in the final year of his four-year, $68.0 million deal and had some proven success in the postseason. However, after a 15-game sample size in 2026, the Cubs clearly weren't ready to risk heading toward another playoff appearance on the mound.

How Will Cubs Fill Another Void in Rotation?

Feb 26, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Andrew Wantz (50) throws a pitch in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Andrew Wantz has several years of MLB experience, but the vast majority of his 92 games have come out of the bullpen. All of these outings except one also came with the Los Angeles Angels. He was most recently inside the Tampa Bay Rays organization, but only appeared in a single ugly outing before they decided to move him.

In the minors, Wantz has been serviceable this season. He's pitched in seven games for the Iowa Cubs, recording a 4.32 ERA in 25.0 innings of work. The Cubs have also had him start three of those performances, perhaps seeing enough to believe he can handle a spot start or two at the next level.

Regardless, it's hard to believe that they expect Wantz to serve as a permanent replacement. It feels far more likely that Javier Assad re-enters the rotation for the time being. The door has also certainly opened for the Cubs to push the gas pedal down even harder at this upcoming trade deadline, seeking two starting upgrades.

To be sure, pulling this off wouldn't be easy, especially if the Cubs wanted to go after one of the top names available. However, perhaps making this aggressive of a change with Taillon speaks to their willingness to go all-in. Between Pedro Ramírez, Kevin Alcantara, James Triantos, Jaxon Wiggins, Jefferson Rojas, and even Matt Shaw, it's not like the Cubs don't have some valuable youngsters to throw into a deal.

Would it be easy to stomach gutting the farm system that much to solve this season's issues? No. But the Cubs have also looked good enough at stretches this year to consider pulling the trigger. And what if they can bring in at least one arm that still has team control? Knowing that you at least have a solution beyond this season would make giving up a massive haul that much easier.

One other option the Cubs could consider is keeping Jaxon Wiggins and giving the rookie a go at some point over the next few weeks. The team's No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, he's now appeared in five Triple-A games after rehabbing an injury. It's worth noting, though, that those recent starts have left a lot to be desired. You also want to be careful about throwing a high-upside youngster like him into the fire too fast.

Regardless, it goes without saying that moving on from Taillon only gives the Cubs another huge question to answer and makes this upcoming deadline even more important. Jed Hoyer is going to have his hands full.

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