Taillon agrees to 4-year, $68 million deal with Cubs (source)

The Cubs stayed busy on the second day of Winter Meetings, agreeing to a four-year, $68 million take care of right-hander Jameson Taillon, a supply informed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The membership has not confirmed the transfer. Earlier on Tuesday, Chicago introduced former NL MVP Cody Bellinger into the fold on a one-year deal.

Over the previous two seasons with the Yankees, Taillon re-established himself as a strong Major League starter after his second Tommy John surgical procedure worn out most of his 2019 marketing campaign and saved him out of motion via ‘20.

The Pirates then traded Taillon to the Yankees in January 2021. With New York, Taillon went a mixed 22-11 with a 4.08 ERA over 61 begins, whereas posting an precisely league-average ERA+ of 100 in each seasons. He was considerably homer inclined, permitting a mixed whole of fifty, however saved additional runners off the bases by rating within the 94th percentile in stroll fee in 2022.

The Pirates made the 6-foot-5 Taillon — popping out of a Texas highschool — the No. 2 total decide within the 2010 Draft, going proper between Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. He was a extremely touted prospect arising via the Pirates’ system and debuted with Pittsburgh in June 2016. From then till his elbow damage, he made 82 begins with a 3.67 ERA (112 ERA+).

Now 31 years previous, Taillon now not has overpowering stuff however goes after hitters with an assortment of six pitches: four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, sinker, cutter and changeup. He threw every not less than 8.5% of the time in 2022. The curve was his finest bat-missing weapon, as batters hit .168 with 43 strikeouts towards it and whiffed on 32% of their swings.