Brewers' rival lands electric arm in blockbuster deal with the Marlins

Stop the presses. Is it really true that a National League Central team (not named the Pittsburgh Pirates) did something this offseason?

Unfortunately, it is, and it's even more unfortunate that the Chicago Cubs are the aggressive party. In a blockbuster swap with the Miami Marlins, they've picked up star pitcher Edward Cabrera.

Cabrera is no joke, and at 27 years old, is just entering his prime. A brief scouting report from Fish on First's Kevin Barral: "Cabrera, who the Marlins signed for $100,000 in 2015, finally broke out in 2025 after inconsistencies with his command and control. He posted a 3.53 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 9.81 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in a career-high 137 ⅔ innings pitched. It marked the first time in Cabrera's career that he surpassed the 100-inning threshold. His walk rate was also the lowest of his career."

Having to face him multiple times a year is going to be a painful proposition.

Cubs reportedly adding Edward Cabrera in blockbuster deal with the Marlins

As Milwaukee Brewers fans, there are two positives to take away from this deal.

One is that, despite his electric stuff, Cabrera has had a long injury history. Prior to 2025, he had never completed 100 innings in any season, nor had he made more than 20 starts. This is not a durable pitcher, and there's a non-zero chance the Cubs won't be able to fully cash in on his talents while he spends onerous amounts of time on the injured list.

The other is that the return for Cabrera could set the stage for a Freddy Peralta blockbuster. The exact return is not yet known, but top prospect Owen Caissie is rumored to be one of the key pieces heading back to Miami.

Cabrera is younger than Peralta and has three years of team control remaining, but the fact that a relatively unproven pitcher is demanding a top-50 prospect (and more) is a good sign for what the Brewers can demand. Again, those years of control are exceptionally valuable, but Peralta is an ace with a far more established track record than Cabrera.

For the particularly snarky fan out there, it's also worth pointing out that the Cubs continue to make moves with a very serious budget in mind. Cabrera is only projected to make around $4 million in 2026; that's hardly the kind of free spending Chicago fans were expecting when Kyle Tucker walked out the door. Of course, saying this means they'll probably sign Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette next, but let's cross that bridge when we get there.

For now, the Cubs have clearly raised the bar in the division, while potentially laying out a perfect path for the Brewers to follow. Now is the time for Milwaukee to wake up from their offseason slumber.