Injury throws Jameson Taillon's readiness for beginning of Cubs' season into question

MESA, Ariz. — Right-hander Jameson Taillon got to the Cubs’ spring training facility Sunday morning feeling about the same as he had the day before when the team scratched him from his scheduled start with lower back tightness, manager Craig Counsell said.

“Probably not the improvement we were hoping for,” Counsell said. “So likely to do some more diagnostics and testing just to see if there’s anything we can learn from that.”

Counsell had expressed some optimism Saturday that Taillon’s back issue could be just a spasm that subsides by the next day. But the lack of improvement throws Taillon’s readiness for the beginning of the regular season into question.

Beyond a level of concern for Opening Day, the Cubs won’t have a specific timeline for Taillon’s return until they receive test results.

“I don’t think this is a long-term absence for Jamo,” Counsell said. “It’s not really one of those concerns.”

Taillon built up to three innings in a simulated game last Monday. But, depending on how long he’s sidelined by the injury, his progress is at least halted, if not partially lost. There are less than three weeks before Opening Day, which doesn’t leave much time to ramp up to a starter’s workload.

“You never want to lose players, never want to even consider it,” Counsell said when asked about the team’s starting depth. “But I think this is what’s expected. So I think we’re in good shape. We’ve got a bunch of guys still stretched out and ready to keep going. And so we have not ruled anybody out at this point.”

Left-handers Drew Smyly and Jordan Wicks and right-handers Javier Assad and Hayden Wesneski all have been competing this spring for the fifth-starter spot. But now there may be another rotation spot open.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with left-handed or right-handed,” Counsell said. “Who’s going to get people out the best? That’s who’s going to pitch.”

Both Smyly and Wicks pitched in the Cubs’ 5-1 victory against the Rangers on Sunday.

“We have tons of depth,” Smyly said. “I think the Cubs know that. We have a lot of talent in this organization: young guys that might be inexperienced, but plenty of talent, capable of doing the job, and we have a lot of veteran guys that are capable.”

Smyly strong

The first time Smyly faced Adolis García Sunday, he struck him out on a high fastball. The second time, Smyly induced García to pop out.

“Today I just wanted to make the game plan more of just competing like a normal game, try to get as many outs as I can,” Smyly said. “And early on, I felt like my fastball was playing up, and I just kept staying there with it and trying to be in attack mode.”

Smyly threw 3 ½ scoreless innings, limiting the Rangers to four hits.

Wicks goes long

Wicks held the Rangers to one run in 4 ⅓ innings and recorded seven strikeouts.

“The biggest goal for us today was landing and breaking balls, which we did a really good job of,” Wicks said. “I was really happy with the curveball command. I thought it had really good shape to it, really good in zone. The slider showed flashes. It showed improvement, which is good, as far as landing it. I thought the shape was still really good. So I thought it was definitely a step in the right direction.”

Cubs 5, Rangers 1

• Cubs right fielder Alexander Canario went 3-for-5 Sunday to lead the team in hits. The first was aided by the sun. He hit a tall fly ball, and Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford lost it. The ball hit Langford, and Canario made it all the way to third base for what was scored as a triple.
• Michael Busch and Chase Strumph both homered. They’re tied for the second-most home runs among Cubs hitters this spring with two apiece, joining Mike Tauchman. They trail only David Bote, who has three.
• With Ian Happ still sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Cubs have taken the opportunity to plug in a rotating cast at left field. Bote played there on Sunday. Bote has played one major-league game in left field, back in 2018.
• On Deck: Off day Monday
  Brewers at Cubs, 8:05 Tuesday, Mesa, Colin Rea vs. Justin Steele