The Chicago Cubs are 54-37 on the season, sitting atop the National League Central. Much of the success has been due to the offense, as Chicago is second in runs, third in home runs and third in stolen bases.
The starting pitching was hit with injuries to Javier Assad and Justin Steele prior to the start of the season, then Jameson Taillon was placed on the injured list in July with a calf injury, and will likely be out until August.
On the season, the starting pitching is 23rd in FIP, 23rd in K/9 and 27th in HR/9. Bolstering the starting rotation will likely be the top priority for the Cubs front office as the trade deadline approaches.
On Wednesday, Francys Romero reported that the Cubs, Mets and several other teams are interested in Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.
Cabrera is 27 years old, 6′ 5″, 217 pounds and throws from the right side. He signed with the Marlins back in 2015 as an international free agent.
The numbers were tepid at best in the minor leagues, but in his third season, Cabrera broke out, consistently posting a K/9 over 10 with a sub-3 BB/9 and sub-1 HR/9. The ERA was in the 2s and he averaged 96.9 mph on the fastball.
Cabrera got his first taste of MLB action in 2021, throwing 26.1 innings. He predictably got lit up to the tune of a 6.63 FIP. He was able to strikeout batters, but the walks and penchant for allowing home runs were his downfall, typical for young flamethrowers.
That was the modus operandi for the next few seasons before Cabrera succumbed to a shoulder injury in 2024.
He’s back now and has been very, very good in 2025. Through 78.1 innings, the strikeout rate is 24.5% while the walk rate is 9.2%. He’s still averaging 96.8 mph on the fastball and has allowed only nine home runs. The ERA is 3.33 while the FIP is 3.88, higher but still sub-4. The swinging strike rate is a healthy 11.1% while the chase rate is 28.3%.
It took some time for Cabrera to get going this season. In his first four starts, he went at least five innings only twice and allowed two, five, three and five earned runs. Since then, he’s allowed more than two earned runs only once and pitched a shutout three times. In his last two starts, he’s pitched seven innings in both contests.
Cabrera will be a fine addition to any pitching staff.
