Cubs near buying and selling for Marlins ace Edward Cabrera, per report

The Chicago Cubs are near buying right-handed beginning pitcher Edward Cabrera in a commerce with the Miami Marlins, experiences The Athletic. There isn’t any phrase but on what the Marlins’ return can be, nevertheless it’s probably a bundle of prospects. Neither workforce has but introduced the deal. 

Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, is coming off a powerful 2025 marketing campaign for the Marlins. 

The numbers above had been good for an ERA+ of 125, which he backed up with a career-best FIP of three.83. As nicely, Cabrera’s 137 ⅔ innings this previous season had been a profession excessive. For his profession, he is put up an ERA+ of 108 and a WAR of seven.1 throughout components of 5 MLB seasons. 

CBS Sports activities had beforehand ranked Cabrera as one of many prime potential commerce candidates of the 2025-26 offseason. That is not solely due to his sturdy top-line leads to his most up-to-date marketing campaign, but in addition due to his arm expertise. In 2025, Cabrera ranked within the 87th percentile amongst major-league pitchers with a mean fastball velocity of 96.9 mph. Evaluate him to starters solely and he would’ve positioned even increased. He was additionally across the seventy fifth percentile amongst all pitchers in strikeout share, chase price, whiff price, and groundball share. Cabrera boasts a five-pitch repertoire and final season he earned higher than a 40% swinging-strike price on his curve and his slider. As nicely, Cabrera’s excessive commerce worth displays the truth that he is not eligible at no cost company till after the 2028 season.

Over his profession, Cabrera has handled a lot of arm issues, together with stints on the injured checklist for elbow tendinitis, a shoulder impingement, and simply final September an elbow pressure. Nonetheless, the Cubs are little doubt hoping that Cabrera will have the ability to keep away from any main arm maladies on their watch and construct off his career-high 26 begins final season. If certainly he’s wholesome and sturdy shifting ahead, then Cabrera guarantees frontline upside within the Cubs rotation. 

Cabrera would be a part of a Cubs rotation that already has lefties Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga together with righties Jameson Taillon and Cade Horton, the latter coming off a really promising rookie season. Colin Rea provides depth and lefty Justin Steele will likely be coming back from Tommy John surgical procedure sooner or later.