The Houston Astros are still hoping to land a starting pitcher before the trade deadline on Tuesday night, but they are not alone in possessing that desire.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Houston has been speaking with the Chicago Cubs about right-hander Jameson Taillon, and the Cubs could now be presiding over a bidding war between Houston, the New York Yankees, the San Diego Padres, and others for Taillon’s services.
The Athletic's Jim Bowden reported on Sunday that Taillon is most likely on the move, with Houston among the teams looking to acquire the former No. 2 overall pick.
"The Cubs are expected to trade right-handed starter Jameson Taillon," Bowden said. "The Astros, Yankees and Padres are among the teams that have shown interest in him."
News surfaced earlier in the week that Houston had an interest in Taillon, but that interest is inevitably transforming into urgency with the deadline less than 48 hours away.
Taillon is such an attractive asset for playoff teams because of his consistency. The Astros, Yankees, and Padres all know that they could plug Taillon into a playoff series and ostensibly receive two or even three quality starts.
Taillon's value on the market will rise the longer Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer can hold onto him over the next two days. Hoyer is tactfully dangling Taillon at present and should stand to receive a generous haul from whichever team lasts longest in the sweepstakes.
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