The Cubs are on the move this offseason. Last month, they signed Hunter Harvey, Jacob Webb, and Tyler Austin, but the fans were asking for a big-ticket name. And the Cubs met that signing by adding Edward Cabrera to their starting rotation. They finalized a deal with the Marlins to bring Cabrera to the North Side. But is this move beyond any doubt?

Well, on paper, while the move surely screams for attention, deep down, concern remains. Cabrera is coming off the best season of his career in Miami. He puts up a 3.53 ERA while setting personal highs in starts (26), innings pitched (137⅔), and strikeouts (150). But it’s not entirely risk-free. Questions about Cabrera’s long-term durability haven’t gone away, and that’s something that could loom over this deal.

“People seem to forget that Edward Cabrera sprained his UCL at the end of last season. I’ve talked to people in the league who were kind of surprised that he cleared medicals,” Foul Territory quoted MLB analyst Lance Brozdowski.

Now this statement surely comes as a shock to the Cubs fans who were betting on Cabrera. And why not?

Because the dominant numbers he showed last year got over the fact that he missed a significant time due to injury. For example, in 2025, opponents hit just .203 with a .266 slugging percentage against his changeup, and that pitch averaged 94.2 mph.

This sounds impressive, but it comes with a list of health setbacks!

Injuries have been a constant theme throughout Edward Cabrera’s career. He’s missed significant time in each of the past three seasons and has topped 100 innings just once so far. For instance, in 2023, a shoulder injury sidelined him for more than a month. The following year, ongoing shoulder issues sent him to the injured list multiple times, resulting in a loss of over two months.

In 2025, it didn’t get much easier. He opened the season on the 15-day IL with a right middle finger injury and later missed nearly a month with an elbow issue. Notably, he was in a 60-day IL last year, further affecting his overall momentum.

So while the Cubs did land a high-quality arm, as many have pointed out, Cabrera’s talent has never been the question. The real concern is whether he can stay on the mound consistently. With how the Cubs’ rotation was thinned out last year due to injury, doubt will be there about how to afford another arm who is also injury-prone.

Signing Cabrera is just a start for the Cubs

Well, it might sound a little surprising, but bringing in Edward Cabrera really feels like a turning point for the Cubs, especially with the offseason halfway over. And that’s because this move doesn’t feel like the end, but feels like the beginning. Cabrera isn’t expected to be the last big-name addition heading to Chicago. Instead, he’s given the Cubs the spark they needed to get things rolling.

With the starting rotation now bolstered, the focus is starting to shift toward the offense. And there are already some intriguing names floating around, with Cody Bellinger and Bo Bichette reportedly on the Cubs’ wishlist. So, if those rumors turn into reality, it wouldn’t be shocking to see a few more splashy moves coming soon.

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For now, though, the Cubs’ rotation alone is shaping up to be something serious.

Alongside Cabrera, the Cubs roll out NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga. Add a couple of new impact bats to that mix, and suddenly, Chicago looks more than ready to set its sights firmly on next season.