Edward Cabrera's Cubs rotation return may end with IL stint or bullpen move

Edward Cabrera's second tour in the Chicago Cubs rotation may already be over. The right-hander could be headed to the injured list with a blister issue or reassigned to the bullpen after a brief and bumpy stretch as a starter, Patrick Mooney reported Sunday.

Mooney, who covers the Cubs beat, wrote that Cabrera's return to the rotation "appears to be short-lived" and that the club faces a choice between addressing the blister with rest or deploying him in shorter relief appearances given his recent performance. The phrasing leaves the club's decision still in flux — blister trouble would send Cabrera to the IL, while the 5.68 ERA as a starter could prompt a shift to relief instead. Either way, the Cubs appear ready to make a change.

What happened

Per Mooney's report, Cabrera is dealing with a blister and may land on the injured list, or the Cubs could reassign him to the bullpen given his 5.68 ERA in the rotation. The report does not specify when the blister surfaced, whether Cabrera has been examined by team medical staff, or which option the front office is leaning toward.

The phrase "short-lived" suggests Cabrera's latest rotation stint lasted only a handful of starts, though the report does not provide a start count or date range. The Cubs have not issued a formal announcement.

Why it matters

Blister issues are a familiar headache for pitching staffs — they can linger, recur, and force a club to choose between rest and roster flexibility. If Cabrera goes on the injured list, the Cubs would need to backfill a rotation spot with less than seven weeks remaining in the regular season. If they move him to the bullpen instead, they preserve roster flexibility but lose a starter at a time when depth is tested by the September stretch.

The 5.68 ERA cited in Mooney's report suggests Cabrera has struggled to miss bats or limit hard contact in his recent outings. A move to the bullpen would let the Cubs deploy him in shorter bursts, where velocity can play up and sequencing matters less. It would also open a rotation slot without burning an IL day or exposing the club to a waiver claim.

The timing is awkward. The Cubs are 81-64, sitting second in the National League Central and holding the second Wild Card spot with a four-game cushion over the cut line. They have lost two straight and trail the division leader by eight games. Rotation stability matters in a pennant race, and the club's upcoming schedule — a three-game home set against the Chicago White Sox beginning Monday — offers little margin for error.

Where the club stands

The Cubs enter Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field with an 81-64 record, eight games back in the National League Central and four games clear of the Wild Card cut line. They have lost two in a row and face a crosstown rival that presents a test for a rotation that may be down a starter.

Shota Imanaga is scheduled to start Monday against Luis Castillo. Kevin Gausman is slated for Tuesday against Bryan Hudson, and Clay Holmes is listed for Wednesday against Sean Newcomb. If Cabrera is removed from the rotation — whether to the injured list or the bullpen — the Cubs will need to adjust their pitching plan for the series that follows.

The Cubs have 17 games remaining in August and will expand to a 28-man roster on September 1, giving them more flexibility to carry an extra reliever or long man if Cabrera shifts to the bullpen. If he lands on the injured list instead, the club would need to promote a starter from the minor leagues or shuffle its existing depth to cover the gap.

What we don't know yet

The report does not specify when the blister issue arose, whether Cabrera has been examined by team doctors, or how severe the injury is. Blisters can heal in days or linger for weeks, and the Cubs have not announced a timeline.

It is also unclear whether the club has made a final decision. Mooney's phrasing — "the next move could be" — suggests the front office is weighing options rather than executing a plan. The Cubs could wait to see how the blister responds to treatment before choosing between the injured list and a bullpen assignment.

The report does not say how many starts Cabrera made during this rotation stint, when he returned to the rotation, or what his role was before that. Without those details, it is difficult to assess whether the 5.68 ERA reflects a small sample or a sustained trend.

Finally, the Cubs have not announced a corresponding roster move. If Cabrera goes on the injured list, the club would need to call up a pitcher to take his spot. If he moves to the bullpen, the rotation would need a new fifth starter, and the Cubs would need to decide whether to promote from within or adjust their existing staff.

What to watch

Watch for a formal announcement from the Cubs, either placing Cabrera on the injured list or reassigning him to the bullpen. The club's next scheduled starter after Wednesday is not listed in available probables, so any rotation adjustment would become clear by the end of the week.

If Cabrera lands on the injured list, the Cubs would need to promote a starter from the minor leagues or shift an existing reliever into a bulk role. If he moves to the bullpen, the club gains a fresh arm for high-leverage situations but loses rotation depth at a time when the schedule offers no rest.

The blister itself is worth monitoring. If it is minor, Cabrera could return to the rotation after a short IL stint. If it is more stubborn, the Cubs may need to plan for an extended absence or a permanent move to relief.

The Cubs' Wild Card cushion is comfortable but not insurmountable. Four games can evaporate quickly in late August, and the club's rotation depth will be tested over the final six weeks. Whether Cabrera pitches in the rotation, the bullpen, or not at all will shape how the Cubs navigate the stretch run.