The New York Yankees reportedly are eyeing a potential reunion with a familiar starting pitcher ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
While it's unclear whether the Chicago Cubs will be buyers or sellers at the July 30 deadline, the Yankees reportedly "have had talks" with Chicago about a potential deal that involves starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.
The Cubs are right on the cusp of competing for a playoff spot. At 47-53, they find themselves just 4.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League. So, they are definitely at a crossroads.
Taillon is in the middle of a bounce-back season with a 7-4 record in 16 starts and 93 innings pitched. He has a 3.10 ERA with 75 strikeouts, 18 walks and a 1.16 WHIP.
While it isn't their biggest need, the Yankees could add some arms to bolster the starting rotation at the deadline. Ace Gerrit Cole seems to be rounding into form, but it's unclear how much longer Luis Gil will remain in the rotation as he approaches an innings limit.
Taillon had his moments with the Yankees, but his two-year stint (2021-2022) also included plenty of inconsistency. He showed some promise in 2022, though, when he went 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA and a 2.3 fWAR.
Adding Taillon would be a move to add some quality depth to the middle of the rotation. He's under contract for two more seasons at $18 million per year.
The Yankees probably wouldn't have to give up a whole lot to reunite with Taillon, but this will be a development to watch regardless.
