Jameson Taillon would readily admit that allowing three runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Nationals on Tuesday night “wasn’t an elite stat line.”
But in being able to self-correct his fastball command enough to deliver a decent outing after wobbling early, he felt there was a more crucial continuation of what began with a season-best eight shutout innings at Yankee Stadium in his final start before the All-Star break.
“I felt like myself out there, and I feel like I’ve been trending in that direction for a while,” Taillon said.
Taillon’s ERA still sits at a disappointing 6.05, primarily fueled by lefties hitting for a .969 OPS against him. Those specific struggles have sparked some conversations about putting Taillon’s cutter—which hitters have a .345 batting average on this year—on the backburner.
To that end, Tuesday looked like a preview of Taillon moving forward, with four-seam fastballs and curveballs accounting for 71 of his 92 pitches on the night. But the Cubs’ biggest free-agent pitching signing of this past winter believes re-establishing consistent riding action on his four-seamer, and the better command that comes with that consistency, has been the key to both the good and bad of his season.
“I don’t think the plan is to scrap [my cutter] by any means, I still want to be able to backdoor it for a strike and keep guys honest,” Taillon said. “I would get into bad counts because of my four-seam and misfiring at the top of the zone, super uncompetitive. I was putting catchers in a bad spot where they have to call a cutter to get me back in the count, and at that point in time, the cutter was almost serving as a BP fastball.”
The four-seam and curveball should be Taillon’s “feature” offerings going forward against a slate of teams that will surely stack lefty bats against him to try to capitalize on his first half struggles. But the more Taillon’s four-seamer is working at the top of the strike zone, the more of his six-pitch mix—cutter included—he can comfortably use.
Now he’s had two-straight outings of feeling like that’s a reality.
Said Taillon: “There’s a human element to it too. I know I can do it. I’ve done it before. This is what it looks like, this is what it feels like.”
A step closer to a healthy infield
Dansby Swanson was on the field well before batting practice Thursday, testing his left heel contusion under the watch of trainers. Manager David Ross reiterated that the All-Star shortstop could return from the injured list during this weekend’s series against the Cardinals.
Nick Madrigal flew out Thursday night to begin a hopefully brief rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa. Ross said that if all goes well, Madrigal could return from his right hamstring strain by Tuesday to play his old team, the crosstown White Sox.
“Which would be his ideal scenario,” Ross said with a smile.
Wisdom in Patrick’s usage
Ross said Patrick Wisdom will primarily be starting against left-handed starters, and also right-handers with “pitch characteristics that line up with his swing path.”
Per Statcast, Wisdom is slugging .667 against sinkers this season, but just .297 against four-seam fastballs. That probably provides a good hint about what sort of right-handers he will be called upon to face.