By Chandler Rome, Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney With an undermanned rotation in a winnable division, the Houston Astros are among the teams that have expressed interest in Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, according to league sources. Taillon would fill a need both this season and next for the Astros, who won’t have José Urquidy , Cristian Javier or J.P.
France for most of 2025 after all of them underwent season-ending surgeries. Justin Verlander won’t pitch the 140 innings needed to trigger his vesting player option, either, meaning he’ll enter free agency after this season. Advertisement Verlander is one of six Astros starters currently on the injured list and he’s yet to resume facing hitters while rehabbing from a neck injury.
Setbacks for both Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia in their comebacks from Tommy John surgery only heightened Houston’s need for rotation help. Taillon has thrown at least 140 innings in each of the past three seasons and typifies the sort of pitcher Houston is seeking at the deadline.
Both Hunter Brown and Ronel Blanco are on pace to shatter their career highs in innings pitched while rookies Jake Bloss and Spencer Arrighetti are being asked to contribute before they’re major-league ready. Finding a veteran to remove one of the rookies and expand the Astros’ rotation to six is the goal. Taillon signed a four-year, $68 million contract prior to last season that doesn’t expire until 2026.