As the Chicago Cubs prepare for the stretch run, they will be hopeful that they have enough to make a run in the challenging National League.

To no surprise, the NL has been the far more difficult of the two leagues. However, what might come as a bit of a shock has been the performance of the NL Central. The Milwaukee Brewers have been one of the best teams in baseball for a few months now, and the Cincinnati Reds are also fighting for a playoff spot.

For the Cubs, much of the focus leading up to the trade deadline was on improving their starting rotation. While they did add Washington Nationals starter Michael Soroka, they didn’t make a massive splash.

Soroka was recently added to the 40-man roster and is expected to debut on Monday against the Reds.

Furthermore, with the rotation being a bit of a concern, they do have right-hander Jameson Taillon progressing in his rehab.

The right-hander will be taking a significant step forward in his potential return back on Sunday in his rehab start.

Taillon has been out since the end of June with a calf injury, and if things go well during his rehab assignment, he should be joining Chicago in June.

So far this campaign, he has totaled a 4.44 ERA and a 7-6 record. He hasn’t been quite as good as he was in 2024 for the Cubs, but his return will be welcomed.

Even though there is still reason to be concerned about the rotation, the return of Taillon and the addition of Soroka have the unit starting to look better.

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