How does Edward Cabrera, on road back from hamstring injury, fit into Cubs’ pitching puzzle upon return?
<p>KANSAS CITY – The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> trading a top prospect for an impact starting pitcher is nothing new.</p><p>Jed Hoyer’s front office <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/03/cubs-mlb-trade-deadline-jed-hoyer-top-prospects-trades-kevin-gausman-clay-holmes-ryan-zeferjahn-braxton-garrett-tyrone-taylor" >got aggressive at the trade deadline</a> and shipped away a significant chunk of its top-30 prospect list – including No. 2 ranked Jefferson Rojas – for pitching, making a win-now statement in the process.</p><p>But rewind to the offseason, and Hoyer did the same thing, dealing outfield prospect Owen Caissie to the Marlins for righty starter Edward Cabrera, believing he could be a top-of-the-rotation arm for a championship-caliber group.</p><p>That was a win-now statement then, somewhat colored in hindsight by the fact that Cabrera hasn’t been that type of pitcher, not yet anyway.
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<p>KANSAS CITY – The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> trading a top prospect for an impact starting pitcher is nothing new.</p><p>Jed Hoyer’s front office <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/03/cubs-mlb-trade-deadline-jed-hoyer-top-prospects-trades-kevin-gausman-clay-holmes-ryan-zeferjahn-braxton-garrett-tyrone-taylor" >got aggressive at the trade deadline</a> and shipped away a significant chunk of its top-30 prospect list – including No. 2 ranked Jefferson Rojas – for pitching, making a win-now statement in the process.</p><p>But rewind to the offseason, and Hoyer did the same thing, dealing outfield prospect Owen Caissie to the Marlins for righty starter Edward Cabrera, believing he could be a top-of-the-rotation arm for a championship-caliber group.</p><p>That was a win-now statement then, somewhat colored in hindsight by the fact that Cabrera hasn’t been that type of pitcher, not yet anyway. Injuries have had plenty to do with it, and after blister issues forced an IL stint, Cabrera has been out for more than a month rehabbing from a hamstring strain.</p><p>That rehab process is nearing its conclusion in the wake of the deadline and the addition of multiple pitchers to <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/07/30/cubs-mlb-trade-deadline-pitching-starting-rotation-matthew-boyd-shota-imanaga-colin-rea-david-peterson-javier-assad-tarik-skubal" >a Cubs rotation that’s currently thriving</a> – and seeming <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/04/cubs-pitching-starting-rotation-mlb-trade-deadline-kevin-gausman-clay-holmes-jed-hoyer-craig-counsell-colin-rea-edward-cabrera-braxton-garrett" >overflowing with options for Craig Counsell</a> as the team steams toward the postseason.</p><p>With newly added righties Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes in the mix alongside lefties Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga – and <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/07/28/cubs-david-peterson-mlb-trade-deadline-mets-jed-hoyer-pitching-staff-rotation-craig-counsell-ground-ball-rate" >lefty David Peterson pitching well, too</a> – does that leave room for Cabrera upon his return?</p><p>“Those are things that we don’t control,” Cabrera said of the team’s trade-deadline activity, through an interpreter Friday. “Those are things that people upstairs control, and if they believe that those were the additions that we needed, those are the decisions that they made.</p><p>“I know all of the guys, and I know they’re all really good players.
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- <p>KANSAS CITY – The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> trading a top prospect for an impact starting pitcher is nothing new.</p><p>Jed Hoyer’s front office <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/03/cubs-mlb-trade-deadline-jed-hoyer-top-prospects-trades-kevin-gausman-clay-holmes-ryan-zeferjahn-braxton-garrett-tyrone-taylor" >got aggressive at the trade deadline</a> and shipped away a significant chunk of its top-30 prospect list – including No. 2 ranked Jefferson Rojas – for pitching, making a win-now statement in the process.</p><p>But rewind to the offseason, and Hoyer did the same thing, dealing outfield prospect Owen Caissie to the Marlins for righty starter Edward Cabrera, believing he could be a top-of-the-rotation arm for a championship-caliber group.</p><p>That was a win-now statement then, somewhat colored in hindsight by the fact that Cabrera hasn’t been that type of pitcher, not yet anyway.
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How does Edward Cabrera, on road back from hamstring injury, fit into Cubs’ pitching puzzle upon return?
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times