How Will the Cubs Use Edward Cabrera After Another Dominant Rehab Outing?

Only a little over a week after the Chicago Cubs added some major pitching help at the trade deadline, more reinforcements could be on their way.

Not only are relievers like Daniel Palencia and Hoby Milner trending in the right direction, but Edward Cabrera is fresh off another excellent rehab assignment. The starting arm took the mound for the Tennessee Smokies on Tuesday for his third outing in the minors. And it was his best one yet.

His first appearance on July 31 left a lot to be desired. Cabrera gave up 3 earned runs in only 1.2 innings of work, only raising more eyebrows. His next go at things in Triple-A on August 5 went much better, however. He went 4.0 innings and recorded 8 strikeouts with only one hit. The goal then was to throw him out there again with a little longer leash. How did he respond?

Cabrera went 5.0 innings for the Smokies and didn't allow a single hit. While he did walk a batter, Cabrera also had seven strikeouts over his 64 pitches thrown. He was doing a great job attacking the bottom of the zone and forcing some big whiffs.

Edward Cabrera threw 5 innings of no-hit baseball in his rehab start in Knoxville tonight 🔥 5 IP | 0 H | 0 ER | 1 BB | 7 Ks 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/QQYAisXqHM
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 12, 2026

The Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro reported that the Cubs wanted to see Cabrera's third outing before deciding whether he was ready to rejoin the big league squad. All things considered, it feels safe to assume that Cabrera will be getting the call very soon.

One also has to wonder if these last two games have helped him tap back into what he does best. This season as a whole has left a lot to be desired, as Cabrera has just a 5.10 ERA over 14 games. The strikeout rate has plummeted since his 2025 performance with the Marlins, with both his breaking balls and off-speed stuff getting hit more consistently than normal.

Indeed, forcing swings and misses is what Cabrera has done best in the past. He's coupled a quick and nasty change-up with a steep mid-80s curve. On top of that, Cabrera has been able to touch the high-90s with his sinker. The curveball, however, has been far less impactful at times this year. It's just hard not to wonder if the Cubs are best-suited keeping Cabrera in the starting rotation ... especially after this trade deadline.

What Will the Cubs Do With Edward Cabrera?

Jun 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera (30) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Cubs gave up quite a lot to make Edward Cabrera a big part of the rotation. But it simply hasn't gone according to plan.

Craig Counsell and Company have to do what is best for the team down the stretch. After a trade deadline that saw both Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman added to the rotation, that might very well be putting Cabrera in the bullpen.

Could David Peterson potentially be the piece that transitions to a relief role? Sure, he has the experience doing so, even as recently as this season. But Peterson has also been easily one of the Cubs' best starters over the last handful of weeks. His ground ball stuff in front of this elite Cubs defense has been as perfect a fit as they had hoped. In fact, Peterson has a 1.57 ERA over his last five starts.

It's possible that a current rotation member takes enough of a turn that room opens back up for Cabrera. However, you don't want to mess with a good thing, and the Cubs are a VERY good thing right now. The team's combined ERA over the last month is the third-best in baseball (3.04). A big reason for that has been the stabilization of this starting unit.

Perhaps Counsell surprises us and bumps the rotation to six arms. The more likely outcome, though, might be that the team's big offseason acquisitions move into the bullpen. Could this come with its own mental hurdles for Cabrera? Sure, as he's never been a reliever in the past. However, it would also make this Cubs' pitching arsenal look all the more deadly. Having his versatility and movement out of the bullpen could be a real weapon down the stretch.

It also never hurts to have guys who can eat innings available. With Javier Assad and Colin Rea also moving to a relief role, Counsell will now have several options to turn to if he doesn't like what he's seeing from a starter early on.

At the end of the day, Cabrera's return may give the team a bit of a problem, but it's ultimately a very good problem to have. The Cubs would have loved to be in this situation three months ago!

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