Huge Cubs' trade deadline target hits IL with ominous-sounding diagnosis

It's been a rough holiday weekend for pitchers the Chicago Cubs were rumored to have interest in ahead of the trade deadline. First, it was Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore hitting the IL and, now, Miami Marlins righty Edward Cabrera is on the shelf, as well.

Gore was placed on the IL with left shoulder inflammation and, although he hopes to pitch again this year, it remains to be seen if the Nats push it with their prized southpaw. A first-time All-Star in 2025, Gore will have to play a key role for the team next season if it wants to climb out of what's looking more and more like a stalled rebuild.

Marlins place Edward Cabrera on the IL with a right elbow strain

As for Cabrera, who has already battled arm injuries multiple times in his big-league career, he's headed to the IL with what's being called a right elbow strain. Shoulder issues have hampered Cabrera's workload in each of the last two seasons, so this isn't what the Marlins want to see from the 27-year-old hurler.

Part of what made Cabrera such a coveted trade deadline target (and, thus a pricey one) is the fact that Miami controls him for three more years past 2025. But if this elbow issue becomes a long-term thing or snowballs into something that costs him time next year, it could take a bite out of that long-term control.

On the season, Cabrera has worked to a 3.57 ERA in a career-high 128 2/3 innings of work, emerging as a bright spot for a Marlins team that entered Monday 65-72, well outside the playoff picture. Many believed Miami would move him and/or former Sandy Alcantara at the trade deadline, but given both guys have team control past this season, the Fish refused to back off their high asking prices, leading to teams, including the Cubs, to look elsewhere for pitching help ahead of July 31.

It's hard to imagine how bad a reaction the fanbase would have had if Jed Hoyer had met the asking price on Gore or Cabrera, only to see them hit the IL in the season's final month. The thought of Cade Horton and Matt Shaw (plus more) playing elsewhere is bad enough, even with the addition of a top-shelf arm, but to lose that talent and not get the contributions from your new arm down the stretch and potentially in October would be an absolute gut punch.