The Chicago Cubs’ pitching outlook has changed dramatically over the past several weeks. What once appeared to be one of the club’s biggest weaknesses has quickly become an area of surprising depth, thanks to a series of key additions and the impending return of several injured arms. Now, after an outstanding rehab performance by Edward Cabrera, the Cubs may have another difficult but welcome decision to make as they prepare for the final stretch of the regular season.
Following an aggressive trade deadline orchestrated by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, Chicago strengthened its rotation by acquiring experienced starters Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman. Their arrivals transformed what had recently looked like a thin starting staff into one overflowing with quality options.
The Cubs could soon become even deeper as injured pitchers continue progressing toward returns. Hard-throwing reliever Daniel Palencia is nearing full health, while Cabrera may have taken the biggest step yet toward rejoining the major league club after an eye-catching rehabilitation outing with Triple-A Iowa.
Pitching four dominant innings, Cabrera overwhelmed opposing hitters by striking out eight batters while allowing just one hit and one unearned run. Even more encouraging, he did not issue a single walk, displaying the command that has often been the biggest question mark throughout his career.
The performance was exactly what the Cubs hoped to see when they acquired Cabrera from the Miami Marlins last offseason in a trade that sent highly regarded prospect Owen Caissie to Miami. Until now, Cabrera has struggled to justify that investment, posting inconsistent results and failing to consistently capitalize on his elite stuff. His rehab outing, however, suggested he may finally be rediscovering the form that once made him one of baseball’s most intriguing young pitchers.
Beyond the impressive strikeout total, Cabrera’s underlying numbers were equally encouraging. He generated swings and misses at an exceptional rate, consistently located his pitches in the strike zone, and averaged approximately 97.4 mph with his four-seam fastball. The combination of power, command, and deception made for one of his sharpest performances in recent memory.
Ironically, Cabrera’s biggest obstacle may no longer be his health or effectiveness—it may be finding a place in Chicago’s crowded pitching staff.
The Cubs’ rotation is suddenly packed with productive starters. Gausman and Holmes join dependable left-hander Matthew Boyd, who has enjoyed a strong campaign, alongside Shota Imanaga, another reliable presence throughout the season. Newly acquired David Peterson has also made an immediate impact, consistently limiting opposing offenses during his first several starts with Chicago.
Even Javier Assad, who has quietly pitched exceptionally well since early June, has strengthened his case to remain in the rotation. While Cabrera still has minor league options available, his dominant rehab outing makes sending him back down a far less obvious decision.
Manager Craig Counsell has already indicated that Chicago could utilize a six-man rotation at times during the remainder of the regular season to manage workloads. That approach would create opportunities for Cabrera to make starts while keeping the rest of the staff fresh heading into October.
However, another possibility may ultimately prove even more valuable.
Given Cabrera’s electric fastball and swing-and-miss arsenal, the Cubs could deploy him as a multi-inning relief weapon during high-leverage situations. In shorter appearances, he could unleash his upper-90s velocity without worrying about pacing himself through multiple trips in the batting order.
Such a role would become even more intimidating if injured pitchers Ben Brown and Justin Steele also return before the postseason. Pairing Cabrera with Palencia, Ryan Zeferjahn, Brown, and Steele could give Chicago one of the deepest and hardest-throwing late-inning groups in baseball.
Cabrera is still expected to receive opportunities as a starter during August and September as the Cubs manage innings and prepare for the playoffs. But when postseason baseball arrives, his greatest value may come out of the bullpen, where his overpowering repertoire could allow Counsell to deploy him as a high-impact weapon capable of changing games in just one or two innings.
If his rehab performance is any indication, Cabrera appears ready to contribute immediately. The question facing the Cubs is no longer whether he belongs on the major league roster—it is determining where he can make the biggest impact as the club pushes toward October.
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