Jameson Taillon Headed Back to IL, Javier Assad Promoted Again

The Cubs’ pitching woes continue, as Jameson Taillon heads back to the injured list with a left groin injury.

Taillon threw just 11 innings before heading back to the IL. He was removed from Sunday’s start in what Craig Counsell initially described as a “precautionary” move, but the team has since decided to place him back on the shelf. Taillon owns a 4.15 ERA on the season, though he has only logged 106.1 innings.

While it hasn’t been an outstanding season for Taillon, he’s been solid. He’s posted 11 quality starts in 19 appearances, along with a 4.9% walk rate that ranks near the top in baseball.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Javier Assad has been promoted to Chicago again. He’s been the Cubs’ main shuttle arm lately, though his spot feels more secure now with Taillon expected to miss at least two weeks. Assad’s health has also been a concern; his first outing of the year didn’t come until August 12. Counsell will need him to eat several innings down the stretch, as the team hopes both Michael Soroka and Taillon can get healthy in time for the playoffs.