Free agent pitcher Jameson Taillon has agreed to a $68 million, four-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, sources revealed on Tuesday. This comes after the Cubs reached a one-year, $17.5 million agreement with slugger Cody Bellinger earlier that same day.
Taillon is a significant acquisition for the Cubs, who were looking to bolster their starting rotation once Kyle Hendricks’ season came to a premature end due to a slight tear in his pitching shoulder.
At 31 years old, Taillon is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Before becoming a free agent, Taillon tallied 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA and struck out 151 in 171⅓ innings for the New York Yankees.
Prior to joining the Yankees, Taillon played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Injuries limited his time with the Pirates, with the player appearing in just seven games during 2019 and missing the entirety of the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
In the Cubs lineup, Taillon will play alongside young pitchers Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson and veteran Marcus Stroman. The team also re-signed righty Adrian Sampson and signed Hayden Wesneski from the New York Yankees back in July.
