Cubs targeting Edward Cabrera but one problem could ruin the deal

Reading between the lines, it feels like Edward Cabrera is the starting pitcher the Chicago Cubs want ahead of the MLB trade deadline, assuming they aren't able to pry MacKenzie Gore away from the Washington Nationals. Given the years of control and Cabrera ascending toward being a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, the Miami Marlins rightfully have a high asking price. An asking price that the Cubs, as of now, may not be willing to meet.

The latest from Matthew Trueblood of North Side Baseball is that the Marlins are seeking a package from the Cubs that includes Owen Caissie and Jaxon Wiggins.

"Right now, though, Miami is holding out for both Owen Caissie and Jaxon Wiggins as the centerpieces of a deal for Cabrera, sources say, and the Cubs are unwilling to meet that asking price. Caissie is the team's top outfield prospect, and Wiggins is their best minor-league starter. Giving up both would leave a huge hole in the team's farm system, and the two teams are in a staring contest, each hoping the other blinks first."

Edward Cabrera emerges as Cubs trade target but talks turn messy

As the headline prospect, the Cubs likely would be willing to include one of Caissie or Wiggins. Including both isn't the type of move Jed Hoyer has been willing to make in his history as the team's President of Baseball Operations. The deadline certainly could see a change in that stance for Hoyer, and the case can be made that Cabrera is a worthwhile exception.

Along those lines, this certainly feels like a moment where Hoyer should be willing to extend beyond his comfort zone. A work stoppage is looming after the 2026 season, and for a Cubs team that will need a top-of-the-rotation arm this offseason, adding a pitcher like Cabrera now, while he still has arbitration years to go, feels like the obvious play. That may mean spending more in prospect capital than he would like, but it opens even more financial flexibility for the team this winter while boosting their rotation during the closing months of this season.

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