Is It Too Soon to Call Taillon a Bust for Chicago Cubs?

The Chicago Cubs shelled out a lot of money this past winter to sign former New York Yankees starter Jameson Taillon. But after a lackluster start and now injury, is it too early to call him a bust?

The Chicago Cubs signed former New York Yankees starter Jameson Taillon to a four-year, $68 million deal this winter. The hope is that Taillon would be a stabilizing force in the rotation, perhaps even their top starter. 

Marcus Stroman didn't like the idea of being outdone and is currently turning in the best performance of his career so far. But I digress. 

This is about Taillon.

In three starts this season Taillon holds a 4.50 ERA a 1.357 WHIP and just 14.0 innings pitched. That does not inspire confidence. 

Couple that with the fact he suffered a groin strain and will not miss some time and questions are beginning to arise. 

Is Taillon worth the money? Is he a bust?

Taillon has thrown a career 801.2 innings, it's enough to get an idea of who he is. The right holds a career 3.85 ERA, a less than stellar 1.215 WHIP and a 3.77 FIP. 

He is a slightly above average pitcher, a middle-of-the-rotation guy, but had plenty of hype coming into the Cubs rotation. 

Now, he has underperformed to start the season and is sidelined with a groin injury. An injury that could see him miss over a month of time. 

Chicago has designs on contending and a pitcher like Taillon was supposed to help propel them to the next level. Instead, he hasn't lived up to the billing, is missing significant time, and he doesn't appear to be turning a corner anytime soon. 

Is he a bust?

Maybe not over the course of his entire four-year contract but he most definitely has disappointed in 2023. 

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