Jameson Taillon Leads MLB in Home Runs Allowed and The Cubs Are Still Reeling

Woah, hold up, baseball fans, because what’s happening in Chicago right now is absolutely bonkers, and it’s about to collide head-on with a Pirates team that’s already got their number. The Chicago Cubs are in a full-blown freefall, staring down their longest losing streak in almost four years. We’re talking ten losses in a row, people! They’re teetering on the edge of their first 11-game or more slide since way back in August 2021. And if that wasn’t wild enough, the Elias Sports Bureau dropped a bombshell: these Cubs are only the second team in MLB history, alongside the 2017 Dodgers, to pull off two 10-game winning streaks *and* a 10-game losing streak in the same season. Talk about a rollercoaster!

Can Bubba Chandler Stop the Bleeding?

Now, entering this chaos for the Pirates is young right-hander Bubba Chandler, who’s trying to snap his own rough patch after losing his past four decisions. His record sits at 1-6 with a 4.79 ERA, but don’t write him off just yet. His 17th career start, and 10th of this season, last Friday against Toronto was arguably his best, even in a 6-2 defeat. He punched out a career-high 11 hitters, throwing 99 pitches over five innings, allowing three unearned runs on two hits, and flashed a 99.3 mph fastball while effectively mixing his changeup, slider, and curve. That’s the stuff you wanna see! Before that, against the Phillies, he gave up five runs (four earned) in just three innings. If he can build on that Toronto success and find some consistency, that's huge for a Pirates rotation already seeing Braxton Ashcraft shine in the No. 3 spot behind ace Paul Skenes and veteran Mitch Keller. When Chandler faced the Cubs back on April 12, it was a no-decision, giving up three runs on five hits, including two dingers, over 5 1/3 innings. The kid knows what’s up, saying, "I think each outing has gotten better. It's learning, but I think it's my job to go out there and compose myself, and go out there and get through a lineup three, four times." You gotta love that mindset!

Taillon's Home Run Problem Is Real

Across the diamond, it’s Jameson Taillon on the bump for the Cubs, facing his former team, the Pirates, where he started his big league career. And look, he’s in a rough stretch too. His 2-4 record and 5.20 ERA are tough to swallow, but the *really* alarming stat? Taillon has allowed 17 home runs this season, which leads the entire majors! Ouch. In his last two starts, he’s given up 12 runs and 16 hits, with six of those being homers, across just 9 2/3 innings. Last Friday against the Astros, he surrendered four runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings in a 4-2 loss. After that game, he was blunt: "We lost, and I didn't complete five innings, so not good enough. The game's a little hard right now for a lot of us. When the game punches you a little bit, you've got to punch back and find a way." He also faced Pittsburgh on April 12, giving up six runs on six hits, including three homers, despite striking out 10 over six innings. He’s 4-2 with a 4.31 ERA in eight career starts against the Pirates, but this version of Taillon is a whole different beast. The Pirates already have a 4-1 record against the Cubs this season, a big turnaround from going 3-10 against them last year. Can the Cubs finally punch back, or will Taillon's long ball problem keep reeling them in? This game is gonna be a wild one.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.