With the MLB Trade Deadline coming up on Tuesday, teams are separating themselves into buyers and sellers. With the Chicago Cubs below .500 and last in the NL Central, they are preparing to sell at the deadline.
The New York Mets, on the other hand, are in the NL Wild Card race and are positioned as buyers.
Based on their strengths and weaknesses, they look like good trade partners. The Mets need starting pitching to bolster their rotation (especially with Kodai Senga on the shelf), while the Cubs have starting pitching to spare.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, one player of interest for New York is Chicago veteran starting pitcher Jameson Taillon.
Like other teams, the Mets have checked in on Taillon, who is 7-5 with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 17 starts for the Cubs this season. The 32-year-old righty has been fantastic lately, notching a 2.47 ERA and a 43:8 K/BB ratio over his last eight starts.
Prior to signing with Chicago, Taillon pitched for the New York Yankees in 2021 and 2022, proving he can handle the pressure of New York and the playoffs. That makes him an even more attractive option for the Mets.
However, Heyman notes that Taillon “may well stay” with the Cubs.
He’s still under team control through 2026, so Chicago shouldn’t be in any hurry to move him. The Cubs’ 2024 season may already be doomed, but Taillon can still help them in 2025 and 2026.
Accordingly, New York would likely need to offer a pretty compelling trade package to get Chicago to budge. The Cubs need offense, so they’d probably want multiple position-player prospects in return for the right-hander.
The Mets will likely be aggressive at the deadline after missing the playoffs last year, but they’ll need to pony up if they want Taillon.
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