Marlins Seem Likely to Trade Edward Cabrera With New Teams Interested
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The Miami Marlins are looking ahead to 2026. After a good, from their standards, 2025 and a great offseason, the Marlins are poised to at least be competitive this season. However, it looks as if Miami is not done making moves, with spring training a little over a month away.
The trade rumors have been flying around starting pitching in Miami. Sandy Alcantara was a big part of them, but those have quieted down. Now, Edward Cabrera seems to be the starter teams are interested in.
The Marlins have had interest in Cabrera for a while now, but a trade could soon be put together.
"It certainly appears that he's going to get traded," Ken Rosenthal said on his Fair Territory podcast. A trade is not yet close to materializing, but talks are heating up.
The Yankees aren't the only team talking with the Marlins about a potential trade involving Edward Cabrera, says @Ken_Rosenthal.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 5, 2026
"It certainly appears that he's going to get traded." pic.twitter.com/JHL9B4rjNp
What Teams are Interested?
The New York Yankees have been the most vocal about trading for Cabrera. They seem to be the frontrunners, but New York is not the only team interested. However, they could be the team most willing to spend on the right-hander.
Still, Rosenthal lists the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets as potential suitors for Cabrera. The Baltimore Orioles were also mentioned, but they have had a great offseason themselves and may not want to pay the price for Cabrera.
The Yankees, Cubs and Mets are all big-market teams. They are teams with the capital to trade for Cabrera and the money to give him an extension if needed. There are a few other teams in the mix, per Rosenthal, but they were not named. As of now, Cabrera seems likely to be headed to a big-market club.
The Marlins Have the Upper Hand
Miami does not need to trade Cabrera. They are willing to make a deal, but it does not mean they are going to. Of course, it is becoming more and more likely, but the Marlins have the upper hand in these trade talks.
The first thing to keep in mind is Cabrera's contract. The 27-year-old is under team control through the 2027 season. All of those are arbitration years, with Spotrac predicting his 2026 salary to be just under $4 million.
He is definitely going to be worth more than that in his next few arbitration years, but he could also be locked up with a team-friendly extension by whichever team he is on.
This contract makes Cabrera much more expensive than he would be if there were only one year left. Trading for Cabrera does not mean teams are getting a one-year rental. Instead, it means teams are getting three years of a quality starting pitcher, barring any injuries.
The second thing to take into account is the number of teams interested. There are three teams that we know of, but more could be lurking in the shadows. By fielding that many calls, Peter Bendix, Gabe Kapler and the Marlins can leverage the offers against each other.
With Miami having the upper hand, there is a chance for a massive haul. The haul could be a mix of MLB-ready players and high-ceiling prospects. All the Marlins have to do is stay patient.
If Miami is keen on trading Cabrera, they do carry some risk by not doing it in January. If he begins the year with the Marlins and struggles, the offers might worsen during the year. There is always a risk of Cabrera getting hurt, as well. The righty made two different trips to the IL this past year.
Trading Cabrera would not be the wrong thing to do, but the Marlins need to make sure they get the proper return. However, if Miami keeps him, he is the front-end starter the team needs as they hope to be competitive in the Wild Card race.
