Amongst the Chicago Cubs' top offseason priorities remains finding another top flight pitcher for their rotation. As the Cubs look for options, they have turned to the Miami Marlins.
Former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara would seem to be the logical target if Chicago were to trade for a Miami pitcher. But the Cubs have other ideas. Instead, they're interested in acquiring Edward Cabrera to fill their rotation needs, via Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.
“With a belief that Edward Cabrera is just scratching the surface of his potential, the Cubs are among a handful of teams that have shown interest in the Miami Marlins’ pitcher,” Mooney and Sahadev wrote.
It wouldn't be the first time both franchises talked trade. The Cubs nearly acquired Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins before he was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies.
“The Cubs nearly reached a deal with the Marlins for left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo last offseason, and then spiked the trade during the medical review, canceling what would have been an aggressive move for the rotation,” the Athletic insiders wrote.
This time around, the Cubs' focus has locked in on Cabrera. The right-hander pitched a career-high 137.2 innings in 2025. In that time, Cabrera put up a 3.53 ERA and a 150/48 K/BB ratio. Under team control for three more seasons, Cabrera would be a fixture in Chicago's rotation for the foreseeable future.
The Cubs aren't alone in their pursuit of Cabrera. But it's at least now known that Chicago is willing to take the trade route if it means a better pitching rotation in 2026.
