What Edward Cabrera's dwindling trade market means for potential Freddy Peralta deal

Milwaukee Brewers fans got a good look at the talent of Miami Marlins' starting pitcher Edward Cabrera when the two teams faced off in an Independence Day weekend showdown in South Florida last July. After splitting the first two contests of the three-game set, the 27-year-old Cabrera faced off against Brandon Woodruff, who was making his long-awaited return to the big leagues, in a Sunday afternoon rubber match.

Brewers fans likely remember Woody's performance; the longest-tenured Brewer covered six innings on just 70 pitches, striking out eight Marlins and allowing just one run on a solo homer in the process while leading his team to a narrow 3-1 victory. However, on the other side of the ball, Cabrera was putting together his own strong outing. The hard-throwing right-hander impressed in his seven innings of work, allowing just two runs which came on a hustle single from Christian Yelich which preceded a two-run bomb off the bat of Jackson Chourio. Outside of that one mistake to Chourio, Cabrera, who didn't issue a single free pass, was near spotless in his early July match-up with the Crew.

However, the Brewers aren't the only ones who have been on the receiving end of a Cabrera gem; the emerging star, who failed to live up to his nasty arsenal of pitches in seasons past, put it all together in 2025 and posted a strong 3.53 ERA in 26 starts. As a result, Cabrera and his three remaining seasons of team control, during which he will earn a reasonable salary through the arbitration process, became a hot commodity on the trade market around the midseason trade deadline, and that interest has persisted into the offseason.

Teams searching for cost-controlled, high-upside starting pitching, which should be just about every MLB team except maybe the Brewers, who have troves of talented young starters, are very interested in constructing a trade package that nets them the talented right arm of Edward Cabrera. That said, according to a recent report from the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, two teams who were previously interested in trading for Cabrera have fallen out of the running, in large part due to their recent trades for other starting pitchers. The news could have significant implications on the likelihood of a Freddy Peralta blockbuster occurring before the end of the winter.

Orioles and Astros reportedly drop out of Edward Cabrera sweepstakes, leaving their involvement in Freddy Peralta's trade market in question

There are essentially two ways to look at this report when it comes to its relation to the likelihood of a Peralta trade. The first is that the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros are interested in bringing in a starting pitcher, but don't think Cabrera is worth the price that the Marlins have set and therefore want to turn their attention to a more talented starter like Peralta. Such a reality increases the chances of a Peralta blockbuster as more suitors generally means a bidding war which leads to one team overpaying for Peralta's services -- exactly what the Brewers are waiting for.

The second angle, however, tells the opposite story. The Orioles and Astros, each of whom executed trades for starting pitchers in the last few weeks, aren't willing to part with any more prospect capital when bolstering their starting staff this offseason. The Astros recently parted with top prospects Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito to acquire controllable starter Mike Burrows from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a recent three-team blockbuster that landed both prospects in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Orioles just sent four top prospects and a 2026 draft pick to the Rays in exchange for starter Shane Baz. It's likely neither team is very keen on the idea of parting with more prospect capital for starting pitching in a deal with the Brewers, especially with Peralta set to hit free agency next winter.

Given the timing of this news, which arrived shortly after both the Orioles and Astros completed their respective deals for controllable starters, it's likely the second angle more accurately captures the reality that Matt Arnold and Milwaukee's front office faces, which bodes well for Brewers fans who remain hopeful that Peralta will be their Opening Day starter when the 2026 season arrives.

Plenty of time still exists for a Peralta blockbuster this offseason, and interest in the Brewers' ace undoubtedly remains high. However, news of the Orioles and Astros falling out of interest with Miami's starter, Edward Cabrera, appears to suggest that neither team will be meeting Milwaukee's steep price for Freddy Peralta this offseason.