The Chicago Cubs made a bold move on Wednesday, acquiring 27-year-old right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins. The deal sent outfielder Owen Caissie, their top prospect, along with middle infielder Cristian Hernandez and minor-leaguer Edgardo De Leon to Miami in exchange for the power arm.
Cabrera has a lot of potential, boasting a 3.53 ERA last season while shouldering the highest workload of his career. He also had an impressive strikeout rate of 25.8% and maintained a low walk rate of 8.3%. However, he comes with an injury history that may raise concerns. The right-hander has spent significant time on the injured list in recent years, dealing with issues such as elbow tendinitis, shoulder impingement, and a sprain.
Despite his youth and high ceiling, Cabrera is arbitration-eligible for the first time this year, which may have influenced the Marlins' decision to trade him. The team was reportedly incentivized by MLB Trade Rumors' projection of Cabrera making $3.7 million in 2026.
The Cubs had been seeking a difference-maker starting pitcher and see this move as an upgrade to their rotation. With key contributors like Justin Steele and Cade Horton expected to return from injuries, adding Cabrera should strengthen the team's chances in the National League Central.
However, the trade comes at a cost, with Caissie being sent away after debuting last season and showing promise. The outfielder was set to help cover right field but will now face competition from Seiya Suzuki and Moises Ballesteros for playing time. Hernandez, 22, is also moving up the ranks after improving in South Bend last year, while De Leon, 18, had a strong showing in the Arizona Complex league.
The Cubs also made a claim on left-hander Ryan Rolison off waivers from the White Sox, adding another layer to their offseason moves.
Cabrera has a lot of potential, boasting a 3.53 ERA last season while shouldering the highest workload of his career. He also had an impressive strikeout rate of 25.8% and maintained a low walk rate of 8.3%. However, he comes with an injury history that may raise concerns. The right-hander has spent significant time on the injured list in recent years, dealing with issues such as elbow tendinitis, shoulder impingement, and a sprain.
Despite his youth and high ceiling, Cabrera is arbitration-eligible for the first time this year, which may have influenced the Marlins' decision to trade him. The team was reportedly incentivized by MLB Trade Rumors' projection of Cabrera making $3.7 million in 2026.
The Cubs had been seeking a difference-maker starting pitcher and see this move as an upgrade to their rotation. With key contributors like Justin Steele and Cade Horton expected to return from injuries, adding Cabrera should strengthen the team's chances in the National League Central.
However, the trade comes at a cost, with Caissie being sent away after debuting last season and showing promise. The outfielder was set to help cover right field but will now face competition from Seiya Suzuki and Moises Ballesteros for playing time. Hernandez, 22, is also moving up the ranks after improving in South Bend last year, while De Leon, 18, had a strong showing in the Arizona Complex league.
The Cubs also made a claim on left-hander Ryan Rolison off waivers from the White Sox, adding another layer to their offseason moves.
i'm literally shaking thinking about eduardo cabrera joining the chicago cubs!!! he's got that crazy potential and i just know he's gonna crush it in wrigleyville 
i mean, yeah his injury history is a bit worrisome but i think he'll be able to get back on track with some solid support from the team. plus, having justin steele and cade horton returning from injuries is gonna make their rotation look fire 
so can't wait to see cabrera in action!!! 
just heard about this trade 
edward cabrera is gonna be a game changer 
he was rly promising too 
cristian hernandez is still young tho 
and edgardo de leon's got some potential too 
just hope cabrera stays healthy 
3.53 era sounds amazing 
Fingers crossed he stays healthy and can live up to the hype!
but seriously 3.53 era is nice, i guess the cost of caissie and hernandez might be worth it if cabrera can stay healthy
! They're getting this power arm Edward Cabrera who has all the potential in the world - 3.53 ERA? 25.8% strikeout rate? 
. I'm just curious to see how this all plays out... do you guys think Cabrera will live up to his potential or is he just another injury waiting to happen? 
and 25.8% k rate? that's sick! 
still think the cubs are strong w/ cabrera in rotation. and btw, ryan rolison is a nice addition too 
I mean, he's only 22 and was debuting last season with promise, so I don't get why they had to send him out to Miami for Cabrera. 
They're basically passing the torch to someone who has a history of injuries... 
Cabrera is definitely talented, but how much can we really trust his elbow? 
! The Cubs are totally pulling off a win 
. Cabrera is like, whoa 
He's got the potential to take their rotation to the next level 
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- what happened to him?! 
I mean, Owen was looking promising last season and now he's just traded away? 
. And poor Hernandez and De Leon too 
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. Can't wait to see how this all plays out 
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... I mean, he was supposed to be the future of the Cubs outfield! But at the same time, Edward Cabrera is a beast on the mound and could be the difference-maker this team needs. Reminds me of some of the big trades back in 2016 when they got Ben Zobrist from the Royals... that ended up working out pretty well for them 
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