After weeks of waiting and watching competitors snap up talent, the Chicago Cubs are reportedly close to making their move. The organization is finalizing a trade to acquire right-handed starter Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, according to multiple reports, though the deal has not yet been completed.
BREAKING: Cubs are finalizing a deal to acquire SP Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins.
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) January 7, 2026
The 26-year-old Cabrera would give the Cubs the starting pitcher they've been seeking since entering the offseason with a clear need to bolster their rotation. Details of the return package to Miami have not yet been disclosed, and the trade is pending finalization.
Who Is Edward Cabrera?
Cabrera brings intriguing stuff to Chicago's rotation, featuring a fastball that can touch the upper-90s and a devastating changeup that's been his out pitch throughout his career. The right-hander posted a 4.08 ERA across 24 starts with Miami last season, striking out 137 batters in 123.1 innings.
The Dominican Republic native has shown flashes of dominance but has struggled with consistency and command throughout his major league career. In 70 career appearances (66 starts) with the Marlins, Cabrera owns a 4.37 ERA with 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings against 4.1 walks per nine.
He's under team control through 2028, making him a cost-controlled option who fits the Cubs' preference for acquiring players with remaining contractual flexibility.
What This Would Mean for Chicago
Coming off an article just days ago about the Cubs watching their offseason options dwindle, this reported acquisition represents Jed Hoyer finally pulling the trigger on a rotation addition—assuming the deal gets finalized. Whether it's the right addition remains an open question.
Cabrera would slot somewhere in the middle or back of Chicago's rotation. When healthy, Justin Steele would head the rotation alongside Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon, with Cabrera providing depth behind that group.
The Cubs had been connected to bigger names throughout the winter—Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Zac Gallen among them. Cabrera represents a different tier of acquisition: higher risk, lower immediate cost, with upside if the Cubs' pitching development staff can unlock more consistency.
It's the kind of move that makes sense on paper—acquiring a young, controllable arm with swing-and-miss stuff—but doesn't necessarily move the needle dramatically for a team that finished 83-79 and got swept in the Wild Card round.
The Bigger Picture
This reported trade comes with Cubs Convention just nine days away and with Kyle Tucker's production still unreplaced in the middle of the lineup. The organization has spent nearly $30 million rebuilding the bullpen but hadn't addressed the rotation or offensive needs until now.
If completed, Cabrera helps, but he doesn't necessarily solve the fundamental questions about whether this roster is significantly better than the one that disappointed last October. The Cubs still need lineup help, and their path to adding impact bats like Alex Bregman grows more complicated with every dollar committed elsewhere.
There's also the question of what the Cubs would be giving up. Miami is in full rebuild mode and has been shopping controllable talent. The return package will be crucial in evaluating whether this move represents smart asset management or an overpay for a pitcher with consistency concerns—once the deal is finalized and details are revealed.
Questions Remain
Not everyone views Cabrera as the solution Chicago needed. A recent analysis from Yanks Go Yard—a Yankees-focused publication—evaluated Cabrera as a potential target for New York and concluded he was "nowhere near the offseason acquisition the Yankees need," citing his control issues and inconsistency.
The Cubs are betting their development staff can refine Cabrera's command and help him tap into his considerable stuff more consistently. It's a reasonable bet given Chicago's recent track record with pitching development, but it's also far from a sure thing.
Your Turn
So we turn it to you, Cubs fans: If this deal goes through, is Edward Cabrera the rotation addition you wanted? Does this potential move address the concerns that have lingered throughout a quiet offseason, or does it feel like a lateral move when the division's top teams are getting stronger?
After weeks of inaction, Hoyer appears ready to make his first significant move. Whether it's enough—and whether the Cubs add more pieces before spring training—will define how this offseason is ultimately remembered.
The deal is expected to be finalized soon. More details to follow as they become available.