CHICAGO – The Cubs addressed the need for an impact rotation arm on Wednesday, swinging a deal with the Marlins for a pitcher with front-line potential in righty Edward Cabrera. The cost was three prospects, including Owen Caissie, MLB Pipeline’s top-rated Cubs prospect.
Caissie – ranked No. 47 on the Top 100 list – has put up impressive power numbers throughout his Minor League career, generating buzz as one of baseball’s up-and-coming sluggers. The 23-year-old outfielder also projected to be a part of Chicago’s outfield group in 2026, creating some questions about the ripple effect of this trade.
While Cabrera immediately boosts the Cubs’ starting rotation, there is now more to solve for Chicago on the position-player front. Here are five main questions facing the Cubs’ front office in the wake of the Cabrera trade:
1) What does this mean for right field?
Last season, the Cubs had star outfielder Kyle Tucker as their primary right fielder, pushing Seiya Suzuki into regular duties as the designated hitter. When Tucker hit the free-agent market this offseason, that meant Chicago had a built-in contingency plan: Suzuki and Caissie could both be used in right field.
If the Cubs do nothing else with their outfield group, they can still head into the 2026 season with an outfield trio of Ian Happ in left, Pete Crow-Armstrong in center and Suzuki in right. With Caissie no longer in the fold, outfielder Kevin Alcántara – a former Top 100 prospect and No. 4 on Pipeline’s Top 30 for the Cubs – could compete for a bench job.
2) Would the Cubs sign a free agent for right field?
In theory, yes, this opens up another avenue to add a veteran bat via free agency. While a reunion with Tucker still seems like a long shot, the Cubs were recently linked again to Cody Bellinger in reports. Bellinger suited up for Chicago in 2023-24 and moved around the outfield and pitched in at first base.
One issue with this path is the potential logjam for giving Moisés Ballesteros a path to more playing time. Now the Cubs’ top prospect (No. 53 on the Top 100), Ballesteros is best suited for at-bats as a DH, while offering a third-string option at catcher. By trading Caissie, Suzuki and Ballesteros can both be in the lineup regularly.
3) How else could the Cubs add to the offense?
The Cubs pursued Alex Bregman in free agency last offseason and have continued to keep tabs on his market again this winter. More recently, Chicago was also reported to have shown interest in free-agent infielder Bo Bichette, who has played shortstop, but could also be a potential option for second or third base.
Now, the Cubs already have a third baseman in Matt Shaw and a second baseman in Nico Hoerner. Adding Bregman or Bichette to play third could move Shaw into a super-sub role for multiple positions. It is also worth noting that Hoerner could be a free agent next offseason. So, adding to the infield could open up more trade scenarios or simply create a built-in backup plan for 2027.
4) How does this impact Chicago’s payroll?
Swinging a trade for an arm like Cabrera was enticing not only for his talent, but for the potential cost savings on the pitching front. The righty made $1.95 million last year via arbitration with the Marlins and is under contractual control through that process through 2028. Adding Cabrera was more affordable than reeling in a veteran arm in free agency.
That being the case, it made the goal of adding to the rotation and trying to bring another bat into the fold more realistic from a payroll standpoint. The first Competitive Balance Tax threshold is $244 million, and recent history indicates that Chicago’s front office does what it can to approach that line without exceeding it.
5) Could the Cubs still try to add another starter?
Never say never – especially when it comes to adding depth on the pitching side of things – but this probably ends the Cubs’ search for MLB rotation pieces. Entering the offseason, Chicago wanted to add two arms, but that was before lefty Shota Imanaga opted to stay via the qualifying offer ($22.025 million). That impacted the payroll and made adding one big arm the more likelier path.
Cade Horton is coming off a runner-up showing in the National League Rookie of the Year race. Veterans Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon are back. Imanaga agreed to stay. Chicago re-signed swing-man Colin Rea, and has in-house depth in Javier Assad, Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks. Former All-Star Justin Steele is working back from injury and could return in the first half. Top 100 prospect Jaxon Wiggins is on the horizon. With Cabrera, the rotation looks to be in a solid place now.