Cubs' Jameson Taillon pitches through trade rumors, Nate Pearson gets ejected in 7-1 loss to Reds

CINCINNATI — Right-hander Jameson Taillon wiped the sweat from under the brim of his cap and tugged on the front of his jersey as he neared the dugout.

In the Cubs’ 7-1 loss Monday to the Reds, he had just turned in his worst start in what otherwise has been an impressively consistent season. He allowed a season-high six earned runs in 4⅓ innings.

His name has come up in more trade speculation than any other Cubs player as contending teams have surveyed possible opportunities to add starting pitching for the stretch run and beyond.

‘‘There’s been a little bit of noise and stuff, and I’m human; I’m aware of it,’’ said Taillon, who has been consistent in his desire to stay with the Cubs. ‘‘At the same time, I still did all my normal work. And then when you’re out there, it’s the last thing you would ever think of when you’re between the lines.’’

Interest, it should be noted, doesn’t mean an inevitable trade. Taillon’s strong season and the two years left on his four-year, $68 million contract give the Cubs the ability to stick to a high standard for a return.

He also has a partial no-trade clause and said no one in the front office has approached him personally about approving any potential trades to a team on that list.

Not to mention that if the Cubs were to trade Taillon, it would be difficult for them to hide his absence with internal options, especially considering the injuries to their young starting-pitching options.

The Tigers scratched right-hander Jack Flaherty from his scheduled start Monday amid reports they were working to trade him. Asked whether the Cubs had considered something similar with Taillon, manager Craig Counsell answered almost before the question was out: ‘‘No.’’

‘‘Craig told me [Sunday], ‘Don’t listen to anything; you’re starting tomorrow,’ ’’ Taillon said. ‘‘And I went to bed last night knowing I was pitching today.’’

The Cubs’ first two trade-deadline moves brought in former Blue Jays first-round pick Nate Pearson, who allowed one run in 1⅓ innings Monday before being ejected, and All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Rays. They gave up young fan favorite Christopher Morel, rookie reliever Hunter Bigge and three other prospects.

‘‘I feel like we do have a good group as is right now,’’ Taillon said. ‘‘And then we went out and made this team better. And it’s for the years to come, too.’’

Pearson made his Cubs debut and was tossed for hitting the Reds’ Tyler Stephenson in the head with a sinker in the eighth inning.

‘‘Trying to run a two-seam [fastball],’’ Pearson said. ‘‘Trying to get [it] inside and slipped and, unfortunately, hit him in the helmet. It was not my intention at all.’’

Counsell came to Pearson’s defense and engaged in a long and animated argument with first-base umpire James Hoye before also being ejected.

‘‘Guys getting hit in the head is not good,’’ Counsell said after the game. ‘‘Not good at all. Their team, our team, not good. There’s just no intent there.’’

Pearson had given up a first-pitch home run to Jeimer Candelario, the previous batter.

The game was marked by Reds homers and Cubs flies to the warning track. Michael Busch’s homer in the ninth was the lone exception, accounting for the Cubs’ only run.

All but one of the runs Taillon allowed came on two homers to left-handed batters, a two-run shot by Will Benson in the second and a three-run blast by TJ Friedl in the fifth. Spencer Steer also scored on a wild pitch in the third.

‘‘[The pitch to] Friedl wasn’t a horrible spot,’’ Taillon said. ‘‘Benson, I wanted the curveball below the zone.’’

Taillon will know definitively Tuesday whether he’ll get another start with the Cubs. The trade deadline is 5 p.m. Central time.

‘‘When you see your name [in rumors], you’re going to think about it,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘That’s real, for sure. But ‘Jamo’ knows he’s got a job to do, as well. And I expect him to be here [Tuesday].’’