Astros Rumors: Houston eyeing Cubs starter who would push their payroll to the limit

As much as fans would love the Houston Astros going completely wild at the looming trade deadline, that is going to be easier said than done. Not only are there few teams that are actually selling this go around, but the Astros don't have a ton of payroll space or prospect capital to work with. That doesn't mean a big move is impossible, but it does add a degree of difficulty.

Those constraints made a rumor from Thursday kind of puzzling. According to a report from The Athletic, the Astros are among the teams that are targeting Cubs starter Jameson Taillon.

Astros targeting Jameson Taillon to bolster pitching staff brings excitement, as well as many questions

In a vacuum, Taillon is honestly a perfectly fine trade target for Houston. He sports a 2.96 ERA in 17 starts this season while filling the strike zone, and has been a pretty reliable source of innings over the last few years. While his strikeout numbers aren't ideal and he had health issues early in his career, he could be exactly the kind of arm that the Astros are looking for this year and next as they deal with the fallout of season-ending injuries to Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy, as well as whatever the hell is wrong with Justin Verlander.

However, the problem comes with the fact that Taillon is making $18 million a year this year, as well as in 2025. The team control is great, but taking on that kind of money when the Astros are already threatening the upper reaches of the competitive balance tax penalties is somewhat tough to believe.

One silver lining here is that the amount of money that Taillon is owed could bring the cost down in terms of prospects. If the Cubs want a better prospect return, they could also eat some of the money he is owed, which could help facilitate a trade as well. It may still be smarter if the Astros go after one of their less costly trade targets like Erick Fedde, but a deal for Taillon certainly would fit Houston's desire to make an impact move for a starter.

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