After keeping his place with the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline, starting pitcher Jameson Taillon wants to help move the franchise forward.
His quest to continue that mission continues Saturday when he draws the start as the Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals in the third game of a four-game set at Wrigley Field.
Chicago followed up its 5-4 win in Thursday night’s opener with a 6-3 victory on Friday afternoon.
Taillon (7-6, 3.35 ERA) likes the makeup of the Cubs after their recent roster moves.
“I know we say it a lot around here, but I do feel like we have a good group as is right now, and then we went out and made this team better, I think,” Taillon said. “It’s for the years to come, too. So that’s exciting. And I know there’s some good free-agent classes coming up and stuff like that. If it doesn’t work out this year, I think we’re in a good spot to be good next year.
“I love being in Chicago,” he said. “I love all the guys here. I don’t feel like I have to go shout it from the rooftops. Chicago’s a great place to play. Wrigley’s the best. The fans are the best. Hopefully it works out.”
Taillon was the subject of trade speculation ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. That distraction may have contributed to his struggles in his most recent start at the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
He allowed six runs on six hits – including two home runs – over 4 1/3 innings in Chicago’s 7-1 loss.
“His name has been mentioned, so you can link it,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And you’re going to think about it. When you see your name, you’re going to think about it. That’s real, for sure.”
Prior to Monday’s outing, Taillon had allowed three earned runs or fewer in 16 of 17 starts.
Taillon is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in three starts this season against the Cardinals. The 32-year-old right-hander is 6-2 with a 3.45 in 15 starts against St. Louis over his eight-year career.
The Cardinals, who have lost six of their last nine games, will try to reignite their offense after going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranding nine men on base on Friday.
They will start right-hander Kyle Gibson (7-4, 3.97 ERA), whose outing last Saturday against the Washington Nationals was disrupted by a two-hour rain delay before first pitch.
Gibson held the Nationals to two runs on six over five innings. He walked three without striking out a batter and eventually took the loss in St. Louis’ 14-3 defeat.
“I never play long-toss 2 1/2 hours before the game, but that’s essentially what I did (Saturday),” Gibson said. “Let’s play long-toss two and a half hours before, then sit for two hours and then go again.
“None of it is an excuse, because you have to go out there and pitch. But that is why on days like this you don’t feel yourself. I could tell from warming up. Tighter. Didn’t loosen up quite as well. That’s why you see some heaters at 86 and cutters that probably marked as sliders and fastballs marked as changeups.”
Gibson, 36, is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts against the Cubs this season. The 12th-year pro has faced Chicago six times in his career, going 1-4 with a 5.46 ERA.
