Cubs beat reporter raises questions about Edward Cabrera's future in Chicago

The Chicago Cubs have not gotten the results they hoped for from Edward Cabrera, per a post from beat reporter Patrick Mooney. Mooney quoted an unnamed source expressing frustration—the source said the situation has not worked out and acknowledged that not every player acquisition succeeds—and asked where the Cubs go from here with the pitcher.

The post offers no detail on what specifically has not worked, what the Cubs tried, or what roster decision might follow. No transaction, assignment, or change in role has been reported.

What happened

Mooney, who covers the Cubs for The Athletic, posted the quote and question on social media. The phrasing suggests internal frustration with Cabrera's performance or fit in Chicago, but the post does not specify whether the comment came from a front-office executive, a member of the coaching staff, or another source within the organization.

The post does not indicate when the Cubs brought Cabrera to Chicago, under what terms, or how long he has been with the organization. It also does not describe his role—whether he has pitched in the majors, worked in the minors, or been used in a specific capacity such as a starter or reliever.

Why it matters

The Cubs are 81-63, holding the top National League Wild Card spot by five games with roughly six weeks remaining in the regular season. They trail the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers by seven games in the NL Central. A team in that position typically has clarity about its roster construction, particularly in the pitching staff, where depth and performance dictate postseason viability.

A beat reporter raising the question of what comes next for a pitcher suggests the player is not contributing in the manner the organization expected when it brought him in. Whether that reflects struggles with command, velocity, health, or role fit remains unspecified in the post.

The timing—mid-August, with rosters about to expand and the postseason race tightening—adds weight to the uncertainty. If Cabrera is not part of the club's plans, the Cubs would need to decide whether to keep him on the roster through September, send him to the minors if he has remaining options, or remove him from the 40-man roster entirely.

The Cubs have other decisions to make as well. Rosters expand to 28 players on September 1, which could provide the club with additional flexibility to carry a pitcher in a limited or developmental role if it chooses. But a player who is not contributing now may not be worth a roster spot even when the limit rises, particularly for a team trying to hold off Wild Card challengers and stay within striking distance of the division lead.

What we don't know yet

The post does not name the source of the quote, describe Cabrera's performance in any detail, or indicate what the Cubs have tried with him. It does not say whether he has pitched in games for Chicago, how many appearances he has made, or what his results have been.

It also does not specify what has gone wrong—whether the issue is mechanical, related to pitch development, a matter of role, or something else. The source's acknowledgment that the situation has not worked out could mean the Cubs have not successfully developed him, have not found the right usage pattern, or have not seen the performance they projected when they brought him in.

No roster move has been reported. The post does not say whether the Cubs are considering a demotion, a trade, a designation for assignment, or simply a change in how they deploy him.

The method and timing of Cabrera's arrival in Chicago are also absent. Whether he came via trade, waiver claim, minor-league signing, or another route would inform what options the Cubs have now and what constraints they face in making a decision. A player who was traded for would carry different organizational investment than one claimed off waivers. A player out of minor-league options would require waivers to be sent down, exposing him to claims by other clubs.

The post also does not indicate whether Cabrera is currently on the active roster, in the minors, or in some other status. That would shape what the Cubs can do next without triggering a formal transaction.

Where the club stands

The Cubs are 81-63, second in the NL Central and first among Wild Card teams. They have lost one in a row and face the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, with Kevin Gausman scheduled to start opposite Bryan Hudson. Clay Holmes is listed as the probable pitcher for Wednesday's game against the White Sox, with Sean Newcomb going for the crosstown club.

The Cubs then travel to Seattle for a weekend series beginning Friday, when Matthew Boyd is expected to face the Mariners' Emerson Hancock.

Chicago's pitching staff has carried the club through much of the season, and the rotation has been a strength. Any uncertainty about a pitcher's role or future—particularly one the organization hoped would contribute—creates questions about depth and flexibility as the schedule tightens.

The Cubs have not announced any corresponding roster move, and the active roster remains at 26 players through the end of August. The club has used its pitching depth to navigate injuries and workload management, but a player who is not performing as expected complicates those calculations.

The Wild Card lead of five games is substantial but not insurmountable. The Cubs face competition from several clubs, and any slip in performance could tighten the race. The division race is more distant—seven games back with six weeks to play—but not entirely out of reach if the Brewers stumble and the Cubs get hot.

In that context, roster decisions carry weight. A pitcher who is not contributing takes up a spot that could go to someone who is. The Cubs' front office will need to weigh whether Cabrera can turn things around in the time remaining or whether the club is better served moving on.

What to watch

Whether the Cubs make a roster move involving Cabrera in the coming days will clarify the organization's thinking. If he is sent to the minors, designated for assignment, or removed from the roster in another way, that would signal the club has decided he is not part of its immediate plans. If he remains on the roster without a clear role, that would suggest the Cubs are still weighing their options or hoping for a turnaround.

The Cubs' next few games—against the White Sox and then in Seattle—will also show how the rotation and bullpen are being deployed as the club tries to maintain its Wild Card lead and close the gap in the division. Any adjustment to the pitching staff, whether involving Cabrera or another arm, would come in that context.

Mooney's post raises the question but does not answer it. The Cubs have not said publicly what comes next for Cabrera, and until they do, his status remains uncertain. The acknowledgment from a source that the situation has not worked out suggests the club is at least considering a change, but what form that change might take—and when it might happen—is not yet clear.

The Cubs have built a strong season and are in position to reach the postseason for the first time in several years. How they handle the final weeks of the roster, including decisions about players who have not met expectations, will help determine whether they get there and what kind of shape they are in when they do.