As the Major League Baseball season barrels toward its climactic finish, the New York Yankees are welcoming back their slugging superstar Aaron Judge to bolster their lineup for the stretch run. But the Yankees aren’t the only team banking on key players returning from injury to fuel their postseason dreams. In the National League, two former Yankees pitchers—Jameson Taillon and Michael King—are poised to play pivotal roles in determining whether their teams, the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres, can seize the NL pennant.
The Chicago Cubs, sitting at 66-48 and just four games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, are eagerly awaiting the return of right-hander Jameson Taillon. The 33-year-old, who spent two seasons with the Yankees in 2021 and 2022, has been sidelined by a right calf strain. On Sunday, Taillon made a rehab start in Triple-A, and while he surrendered seven runs, the key takeaway was his health. “He came out of it feeling healthy,” ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported, signaling that Taillon is on track to rejoin the Cubs’ rotation soon.
Taillon, described by Gonzalez as a “proven innings eater who consistently pounds the strike zone,” is exactly what the Cubs need. With Chicago opting not to bolster their starting pitching at the MLB trade deadline, Taillon’s return is a lifeline for a rotation desperate for stability. This season, he’s posted a 7-6 record with a 4.44 ERA across 17 starts, a testament to his reliability. During his Yankees tenure, Taillon went 22-11 with a 4.08 ERA in 61 starts, proving he can handle the pressure of a playoff race. If he can regain his form, the Cubs could close the gap on the Brewers and make a serious run at the division crown.
Meanwhile, in the NL West, the San Diego Padres (64-51) are counting on Michael King to solidify their rotation as they chase the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers, trailing by just two games. King, a versatile right-hander who spent five years with the Yankees, has been battling a nerve issue in his right shoulder for the past two months. Like Taillon, he made a rehab start on Sunday and is expected to return to the Padres’ rotation this weekend against the Boston Red Sox.
King’s importance to San Diego cannot be overstated. With a 2.59 ERA in 10 starts this season, the 29-year-old has emerged as a frontline starter. Gonzalez noted that King was the Padres’ Game 1 starter in last year’s postseason and their Opening Day starter this year, underscoring his status as a cornerstone of their pitching staff. If King can join forces with Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, and Nick Pivetta in the rotation, the Padres could boast one of the most formidable pitching units in baseball. During his time in New York, King posted a 3.38 ERA in 115 appearances (19 starts), and his trade to San Diego in the blockbuster deal for Juan Soto last December has only elevated his role.
For both the Cubs and Padres, the return of these former Yankees could be the difference between a deep playoff run and an early exit. Taillon’s ability to eat innings and keep games close gives the Cubs a chance to outlast their divisional rivals, while King’s electric stuff could propel the Padres past the Dodgers and into the postseason spotlight. As the NL pennant race heats up, all eyes will be on these two pitchers to see if they can deliver when it matters most.