Cubs secure prized pitcher Edward Cabrera from the Marlins. The 27-year-old adds significant talent and three years of control to Chicago's rotation.
The Chicago Cubs have finally made their big move this offseason.
According to Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation, the Cubs are finalizing a deal to acquire Miami Marlins pitcher Edward Cabrera. The deal has now been confirmed by ESPN insider Jeff Passan, and the Cubs have sent three prospects to the Marlins in exchange for Cabrera.
The Cubs have sent Owen Caissie, Cristian Hernandez, and Edgardo De Leon to the Marlins for Cabrera. Caissie is the Cubs' top prospect in their organization, while Hernandez comes in at No. 11, and De Leon is unranked.
The Cubs needed to add a frontline starting pitcher this winter, and Cabrera immediately solves that need. He is coming off the best season of his Major League career and brings potential to Chicago’s rotation for 2026 and beyond.
Cabrera finished with a 3.53 ERA and 150 strikeouts across 137 ⅔ innings pitched in 2025. He had an above-average strikeout rate (25.8%), whiff rate (29.4%), and chase rate (30.3%), while also landing in the 87th percentile in average fastball velocity (96.9 mph).
His changeup is elite, and his curveball is a fantastic secondary pitch for him. Opposing hitters batted just .203 with a .266 slugging against Cabrera's changeup in 2025, and he struck out 54 batters on his curveball alone.
Cabrera took significant strides forward last season, which is why the Cubs were reportedly one of the teams interested in trading for him at the deadline. But Miami’s asking price appeared too high at the time.
A few months later, the Cubs have finally landed the up-and-coming right-hander.
One of the biggest things that has held back Cabrera so far in his Major League career is injuries. He has thrown more than 100 innings just once in his career and has missed significant time in each of the past three years.
He missed one month apiece due to a shoulder injury and a blister during the 2023 season. He missed over two months due to another shoulder issue in 2024, and then missed more time due to a finger and an elbow issue last year.
However, Cabrera has shown his upside when healthy. He delivered seven quality starts last year, which included throwing eight innings of one-run ball with 11 strikeouts against the Atlanta Braves on August 8.
Cabrera also has three years of control remaining. The 27-year-old is not expected to hit free agency until after the 2028 season and is only set to make $3.75 million in 2026. So, the Cubs will have the Marlins pitcher for the next three years.
He now joins Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon to complete the Cubs’ rotation in 2026. Cabrera’s five-pitch mix, led by his elite changeup, should play well at Wrigley Field over the next three years.