The Cubs‘ pitching rotation got a boost, even if it came at a high cost.
Starting pitcher Edward Cabrera will reportedly head to Chicago from the Marlins in exchange for a package that includes three prospects, headlined by outfielder Owen Caissie.
The Northsiders entered the offseason with the stated goal of adding at least two established arms to the rotation. After left-hander Shota Imanaga somewhat surprisingly accepted the one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to stay with the Cubs, that could have disrupted the team’s plans and pushed president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to prioritize the trade market. That’s a good thing, because the addition of Cabrera makes for a deep Cubs rotation that, when fully healthy, features a stack of quality arms.
ESPN reported that the two other prospects in the deal are infielders Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon. The Marlins have reportedly targeted Caissie, the Cubs’ No. 1 overall prospect, for a while now. Cabrera was expected to be green-lit at a hefty price, given his age and remaining years of team control, and it couldn’t have been an easy decision for the Cubs to part ways with Caissie. The 23-year-old slugger, who made his major-league debut in 2025 but is still rookie-eligible, figures to immediately slot into the Marlins lineup, adding another high-powered bat to complement breakout slugger Kyle Stowers. Caissie is a huge get for Miami, who will have him under team control for the next six full seasons.
Here’s what’s next for the Cubs, other top contenders trying to improve their rotations this offseason, and how this deal impacts the rest of the starting-pitching market.
What’s next for the Cubs
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The Cubs’ pursuit for a top-flight starter dates back to last offseason. In the winter of 2024, Chicago almost struck a deal with former Marlins southpaw Jesus Luzardo before hesitating due to his medical report. Ahead of the 2025 season, Luzardo was traded to the Phillies, where he excelled across 32 starts, pitched to a 3.92 ERA and received down-ballot National League Cy Young votes. So, this time around, the Cubs didn’t want to miss their opportunity to trade for an impact starter, even if they held similar concerns about his medical history.
Cabrera was placed on the injured list multiple times last season, with two of those stints related to right elbow issues. As much as the words “MRI” and “elbow” in the same sentence were worrisome for interested teams, Cabrera did rebound from his time on the IL to deliver his best season for the Marlins. The right-hander finished the year with a 3.53 ERA and career-highs in strikeouts (150), innings (137.2) and starts (26). Notably, his walk rate dipped to a career-low 8.3%, which was the eighth-best mark among all NL starters.
The Cubs are getting a 27-year-old starter with three remaining years of team control. It’s a valuable deal that could end up looking even better than their push for Luzardo, who becomes a free agent after this season. Cabrera figures to jump right to the top of the Cubs rotation, which will feature some combination of Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, Javier Assad and Justin Steele throughout the 2026 season. As far as what’s left on the team’s offseason to-do list, Chicago is still aiming to add a top-tier impact bat (Alex Bregman? Bo Bichette?) before Opening Day.
What’s next for teams eyeing an impact starter
The Cubs winning the Cabrera sweepstakes, which picked up in earnest earlier this week, escalates the pressure for other top contenders looking to upgrade their rotations without spending in free agency.
The Yankees were among the teams interested in trading for Cabrera, according to a recent report from The Athletic. Multiple reports indicated that New York wasn’t close to acquiring the Marlins right-hander, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman’s seat is only getting hotter to do something this offseason. While a lot of the team’s focus has centered on re-signing Cody Bellinger, the rotation also needs legitimate help to begin the year.
Gerrit Cole (rehab from Tommy John surgery), Carlos Rodon (left elbow surgery to remove bone spur), and Clarke Schmidt (rehab from Tommy John) will all begin the season on the IL. The timelines for each starter to return are varied, and recovery from elbow surgery is tricky. The Yankees need rotation depth to help starting pitchers Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gil and Cam Schlittler at the onset of the season, at least. The club has had a lethargic offseason thus far, with its only moves including re-signing infielder Amed Rosario and bringing back outfielder Trent Grisham on a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer.
Other teams under heightened stress to add an impact starter, either through trade or free agency, include the Mets, Orioles, Padres, Braves, and the Athletics.
What’s next for the starting-pitching market
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There are a number of teams that are more likely to bolster their rotations through the trade market, and the club with 2025’s second-highest payroll appears to be one of them.
Read more: Top 5 Free Agent Starting Pitchers
While the Mets have the financial might to land one of the top free-agent arms, including Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, their president of baseball operations, David Stearns, is said to prefer trading for a lower-cost starter. The top pitchers who could be traded this offseason include Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (who’s owed a paltry $8 million in 2026) and reigning Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal, who is in his walk year and unlikely to be dealt by the Tigers without receiving a ridiculous haul.
Other arms who could be on the trade block, either this offseason or ahead of July’s trade deadline, include Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (free agent in 2029), Twins right-handers Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez (both FA in 2028), and Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (FA in 2028). There are still quality options out there, but they are thinning with spring training just around the corner.
Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
