Jameson Taillon returned to Wrigley Field on Thursday as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, less than two weeks after the Chicago Cubs designated the right-handed pitcher for assignment. The makeup game against the Blue Jays marked Taillon’s first visit to the ballpark he called home for over three years since his trade last week.
Taillon, 34, spent Thursday morning in the visitors’ dugout observing the Cubs’ pregame activities. Reflecting on his departure, he acknowledged the difficult transition and took responsibility for his recent struggles on the mound. “It just changes your perspective a little bit,” Taillon said. “I really enjoyed my time, and I don’t have anything bad to say. Wrigley’s the greatest place to play. Chicago’s a great city. All the guys over there, lifelong friends. It’s just obviously performance-based, and I wasn’t getting it done, which kind of hurts.”
The Cubs’ decision to move on from Taillon followed a disappointing stretch of two starts coming off the injured list, in which he allowed 11 runs and five home runs over 8 1/3 innings. Entering Thursday’s game, the pitcher held a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts for Chicago this season, yielding 25 home runs across 76 innings. These results ultimately led to his designation for assignment.
After his release, Taillon trained at the Tread Athletics facility in North Carolina to refocus away from the pressures of performance. He made his Blue Jays debut Wednesday in Houston, pitching four innings and allowing three runs while showing signs of improvement. Taillon expressed optimism about this fresh start, noting an uplift in his pitching during the outing.
“About midway through the year, I had that White Sox game where I gave up eight runs and five home runs,” he said. “Ever since then it’s just been hard. Everyone was trying, and it just wasn’t working, and that’s OK. I’m just at peace with it all and obviously disappointed in the way it ended.”
Taillon, a free agent after the season, admitted he was not surprised by the Cubs’ move given his recent setbacks and mental struggles. “I was kind of looking over my shoulder a little bit,” he said. “I definitely wasn’t shocked. At the end of the day, it’s a business. What you do on the field matters, and this is a really good team.”
During his tenure with the Cubs, Taillon is likely to be remembered for his strong performances in the 2025 postseason, including starts in elimination games during both the wild-card and division series. Despite a challenging 2026 season, he hopes fans recall the positive moments he delivered during the prime of his contract rather than the recent difficulties.
As the Cubs prepare to conclude a demanding homestand and shift focus to upcoming road games, Taillon embarks on his next chapter with Toronto, seeking to rebuild momentum in the American League.