Jameson Taillon Is Playoff Difference-Maker Yankees Need amid MLB Trade Rumors

The New York Yankees are among four teams interested in acquiring right-handed starter Jameson Taillon from the Chicago Cubs, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported.

It is not surprising that the Yankees are interested in acquiring an arm before the deadline.

The team has been mediocre at best on the mound and, at worst, downright awful.

Starter Gerrit Cole, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, returned from elbow discomfort in June and has proceeded to accumulate an ERA of 5.40 while giving up nine home runs and 21 total earned runs.

Carlos Rodon (4.42) and Nestor Cortes (3.99) have not been much better. This, despite a team ERA that ranks in the top five of MLB, helped largely by the better-than-expected Luis Gil and his 3.10.

Since the All-Star break, the Yankees have given up 45 runs to the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets, highlighting a clear issue in the rotation and bullpen.

Taillon would provide an upgrade for the Yankees' starting rotation, with a 7-5 record for a so-so Cubs team and a 2.96 ERA. He has a strike percentage of .670 and is averaging seven strikeouts per nine innings, thanks in part to a great breaking ball.

The righty has limited opposing batters to a .366 slugging percentage, the lowest of his career.

Taillon is not a top-line starter, and still flashes the occasional control issues, but he is has been consistently good in Chicago this season and would bring stability to the Yankees rotation at a time when the team is playing as poorly as it has all season.

Losers of 21 of the last 31, the team desperately needs to address the issues facing it, starting on the mound. It will not be easy to get a deal done for Taillon, especially with division rivals Boston and Baltimore also interested an in need of starting pitching to go a legitimate run toward the World Series.

Of those two teams, the Orioles have the prospects to intrigue any organization to part with stars.

The Yankees do, too, and may be willing to part with Jeff Passan of ESPN reporting that Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones not necessarily off the table.

With those two squads sprinting toward the finish line, and the Red Sox looking to join them in what could be an electric conclusion to the season at the top of the AL East, it is more imperative than ever that the Yankees land the players they want at positions of need.

Taillon would be a great start, with potential playoff and World Series implications.