The Cubs and Marlins have completed one of the more notable trades of the offseason — a swap that’ll send righty Edward Cabrera from Miami to Chicago in exchange for top outfield prospect Owen Caissie and minor league infielders Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon.
Cabrera, 28 in April, is a former top prospect who has shown flashes of excellence in the past but wasn’t healthy enough to deliver on that potential until a breakout 2025 campaign. Though he still logged some IL time this past season, he turned in a career-high 137 2/3 innings with a strong 3.53 ERA and encouraging underlying numbers. Cabrera punched out 25.8% of opponents, logged a career-low 8.3% walk rate — far better than the 13.3% clip he carried into the season — recorded a 46.6% ground-ball rate and sat 97 mph on his four-seamer (and 96.8 mph on his sinker) in 2025.
Early in the 2025 season, Cabrera missed two weeks with blisters on his pitching hand — his second career IL trip due to blister troubles. His second IL trip in 2025 was more alarming, as it was prompted by an elbow sprain late in the year. That’s a far more worrying injury, but Cabrera returned after only three weeks and fired nine generally solid innings across his final two appearances, sitting 97.7 mph on his four-seamer and 97.9 mph on his sinker during that time. Given the trade interest in him this offseason and a deal now complete, it doesn’t appear there’s any current concern about a major elbow injury looming on the horizon.
Beyond his premium velocity and quality rate stats, Cabrera’s contractual situation always figured to hold broad-reaching appeal. He’s entering the second of four arbitration seasons as a Super Two player and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a highly affordable $3.7MM in 2026. He’s under club control all the way through 2028, and based on the fairly low starting point in his arbitration journey, those three seasons aren’t likely to cost much more than $20MM overall.
Cabrera will slot into a deep Cubs rotation mix, joining Rookie of the Year finalist Cade Horton and veterans Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga (who accepted a $22.05MM qualifying offer in November). Acquiring Cabrera likely pushes veteran swingman Colin Rea back into a long relief role to begin the season, though he’d be among the first men up in the event of an injury elsewhere on the staff.
Right-hander Javier Assad is also in the mix, though he missed nearly all of the 2025 season due to a severe oblique strain and posted a career-low 15% strikeout rate in the 37 innings he managed to tally late in the season. Assad still has minor league options remaining, so he could be sent to Triple-A to begin the year or else considered for a multi-inning relief role similar to the one Rea might occupy. Other options down in Triple-A include hard-throwing 26-year-old righty Ben Brown and former top prospect Jordan Wicks (also 26). Top prospect Jaxon Wiggins is not yet on the 40-man roster and has barely pitched in Triple-A, but he could be in line for a big league debut this coming season as well.
Of course, the Cubs will be eagerly awaiting the return of ace Justin Steele, ideally at some point in the season’s first half. The 30-year-old Steele was the team’s top starter from 2022-24, pitching a combined 427 innings of 3.10 ERA ball with plus strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates, but he made just four starts in 2025 before requiring UCL surgery in late April. Every rehab process is different, but it’s reasonable to expect that he could be back in June or July.
By the season’s second half, the Cubs could be looking at a rotation led by Steele, Horton and Cabrera, with veterans Taillon, Boyd, Imanaga and Rea among the options for the final couple spots. Injuries will almost always disrupt any team’s best laid plans, but that’s a quality group of arms that doesn’t even factor in Wiggins, who posted a 2.19 ERA and 31% strikeout rate in 18 starts (and one relief appearance) between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
On the Marlins side of things, Cabrera stood as an obvious trade candidate — but one who’d come at a fairly hefty price, given that salary and remaining club control. He landed on the back end of MLBTR’s Top 40 Offseason Trade Candidate list back in November.
It’s obviously not a financially driven move, but the Fish are deep in rotation options — with multiple top prospects nearing readiness — and have various holes in the lineup to fill. Swapping out Cabrera for a package headlined by Caissie works toward that end.
Even with Cabrera departing, Miami can roll out a rotation including Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Ryan Weathers and Braxton Garrett in the top four spots. Journeyman Janson Junk had a surprisingly nice showing with the Fish in 2025 and is an option either in the fifth spot or long relief. The same can be said for righty Ryan Gusto, whom the Marlins acquired in the deadline trade sending Jesus Sanchez to Houston. Former top prospects Max Meyer, Dax Fulton and Adam Mazur are all on the 40-man roster, too. Current top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling could both debut this coming season. White, in particular, is regarded as one of the top prospects in the entire sport.
Caissie should step right into the Marlins’ outfield next season. The 23-year-old slugger made his big league debut this past season, struggling in a tiny sample of 27 plate appearances, but is a former second-round pick and longtime top prospect who has shredded minor league pitching. That includes a 2025 campaign in which he slashed .286/.386/.551 (139 wRC+) with 22 homers, 28 doubles and a pair of triples in 99 games/433 plate appearances of Triple-A work.
Caissie is a lefty-swinging corner outfielder with big power and big swing-and-miss tendencies. He fanned in nearly 28% of his Triple-A plate appearances last year. He’s regularly been able to offset the damage of those strikeouts by walking at high clips, however. He drew a free pass in 13.2% of his Triple-A plate appearances last year and has an overall 13.6% walk rate in five minor league seasons.
Scouting reports on Caissie praise his plus throwing arm but predict he’ll be limited to corner work (despite some early-career experience in center field). He has the makings of a prototypical three-true-outcomes right fielder. The Marlins could go with 2025 breakout slugger Kyle Stowers in left field and Caissie in right, thus giving them a pair of high-powered bats to plug into the heart of their order for the foreseeable future.
Because Caissie only made a brief MLB debut this past season, he still has six full seasons of club control remaining. He’s still rookie-eligible, so the Marlins could potentially pick up a draft pick for him via MLB’s prospect promotion incentive program, depending on when he’s brought up for his Marlins debut and (of course) on how he fares in awards voting early in his big league tenure. Caissie was only selected to the major league roster last offseason, meaning he’s only exhausted one minor league option year and still has two remaining.
Caissie joins Stowers and breakout center fielder Jakob Marsee in comprising a talented and intriguing outfield core. The Marlins’ lineup, in general, has gotten more interesting over the past couple years, thanks largely to the emergence of Xavier Edwards alongside those young outfielders. Former top catching prospect Agustin Ramirez hit for power in his rookie campaign this past season but struggled to get on base and played extremely poor defense behind the plate. Marlins president Peter Bendix has emphasized that the club hopes to continue developing Ramirez behind the plate, but he could see time at first base and DH in 2026, especially once top catching prospect Joe Mack debuts.
Hernandez, 22, is a speed-and-defense shortstop who spent the 2025 season with the Cubs’ High-A affiliate. Baseball America recently ranked him 16th among Cubs farmhands heading into the 2026 season, noting that he has plus raw power but hits the ball on the ground far too frequently to ever tap into that pop. (This past season’s seven home runs were a career-high.) BA’s report notes that Hernandez has the tools to be an above-average defender but is often inaccurate with his throwing despite good arm strength.
Improving the accuracy on Hernandez’s throws seems like a more attainable goal than overhauling his offensive approach to get more loft without compromising his lower-than-average strikeout rate, but if the Marlins can fix both those traits, it’s possible they’ll have a starting-caliber shortstop on their hands. Those are big “ifs,” of course, particularly considering that Hernandez just hit .252/.329/.365 as a 21-year-old in his second stint with the Cubs’ High-A affiliate. He’s a project, but a capable shortstop coming off a 52-steal season (61 attempts) is a nice secondary piece to add to the system.
De Leon is the furthest from MLB-ready. He’s an 18-year-old who signed as part of Chicago’s 2024 international class. The 6′, 170-pound De Leon played with the Cubs’ Dominican Summer League club in 2024, hitting .277/.431/.433 in 181 plate appearances. He moved up to their Rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate in 2025 and slashed .276/.353/.500 in 153 turns at the plate. BA’s Geoff Pontes listed him as a sleeper prospect to watch heading into the 2026 season, citing his encouraging exit velocities and plus raw power.
With just 334 professional plate appearances under his belt and his 19th birthday still six weeks away, De Leon is a pure development project for Miami. He’s been a productive hitter in each of his two pro seasons, though, even with some moderately worrying swing-and-miss tendencies (28.8% strikeout rate in 2025). He’ll probably head to the Marlins’ Low-A affiliate to begin the 2026 season and doesn’t seem likely to be a potential major league factor until 2028 or 2029 at the earliest.
The Marlins remain a work in progress and will most likely enter 2026 as something of a playoff long shot, but there are a number of upward-pointing arrows on the roster, making it an encouraging time for Miami fans.
Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami first reported that a Cabrera trade between the two teams was near completion. Kevin Barral of Fish On First reported Caissie as the likely headliner. Christina De Nicola of MLB.com and Craig Mish of SportsGrid broke the news of the other two prospects in the deal. Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported that the medical review process had been completed and that the trade was official.
YES
Horrible if the prospects include outfielders Owen Caissie or Kevin Alcantara. Even DH Moises Ballesteros would be a big loss.
The Cubs could have obtained an additional pitcher by spending money on a free agent. Instead, they are possibly mortgaging their future outfielders and DH.
Suzuki and Happ are both free agents in November 2026. Other than PCA, Cubs have no outfielders who will be ready in April 2027.
That is before we even discuss the injury history of Edward Cabrera.
Kyle Tucker
Tucker is an oft-injured elite player. There is one team that most commonly acquires that best oft-injured elite players …. and it is not the Cubs.
Kyle Tucker would be my priority. A return of versatile Cody Bellinger would be an excellent Plan B with his ability to also man CF or 1B if Pete Crow Armstrong or Michael Busch are injured.
Seiya Suzuki would still provides the Cubs OF protection at the corners in 2026. Signing Tucker or Bellinger would give the Cubs better defense in RF than Suzuki offers. Suzuki’s main role would be in a DH platoon with lefty hitting Moisés Ballesteros assuming the latter is not part of the Edward Cabrera trade package. If Ballesteros is in the trade then Suzuki becomes the primary DH.
Let me guess… the Yankees?
A Belli reunion. I’ll take Belli back over Tucker, Bergman. Didn’t want the Cubs to give him away last season. But, I get it. Needed to save $$&.
Hell, if Busch’s woes against LHP continue, Bellinger could be the 1B platoon half against LHP, and play RF the other times, with spots in CF and DH as needed.
Tucker posted on IG that a decision is coming real soon.
Aloha MLB, well Caissie is one piece going back and more. I agree with you, just spending some money would have gotten them a pitcher. Guess Jed is still hot after a Bregman, Cody or Tucker now. We’ll see what happens. Mahalo
I love Belli but I don’t see a reunion happening. Just wanted to add that he could also give those two a day off not necessarily if they are injured.
To ship Bellinger out of town for next to nothing in return and then put in an offer in FA doesnt make a whole lot of sense.
If Bellinger was a good fit, the Cubs wouldn’t have traded Cam Smith and Isaac Parades for a year of Kyle Tucker.
That trade last season suggested that Bellinger and the Cubs weren’t getting along all that well and that Bellinger wasn’t all that good of a fit with the team.
Kyle Tucker was a good fit and Id say this trade certainly improves the odds that Tucker is going to be resigned by the Cubs.
Id say kudos to the Cubs on both fronts. Cabrera has a filthy arsenal, the guy floors me when I watch him pitch, and Tucker is an elite bat that solidifies the Cubs lineup.
Bellinger does hit LHP well and that would be an option but Id say very little chance that Bellinger returns to the Cubs.
Neither Bellinger nor Tucker is coming back to the Cubs.
In fact, this trade does not suggest that the Cubs will be in on a bat. Suzuki will be in right, Ballesteros will be the DH
@LordD99:
I’d guess the Blue Jays. Kyle Tucker is a Tampa native as is his wife. They still reside there in the offseason. The Blue Jays train in Dunedin which is in the Tampa metro region.
If this comes to pass then the Cubs would pivot to Cody Bellinger in the outfield or either Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette in the infield.
I fully expect Bellinger to wind up in New York, either with the Yankees or Mets. I also anticipate Bregman re-sigining with the Red Sox.
My money would be on Bichette signing with the Cubs.
Seiya was actually quite good last year in RF by the metrics. Tucker wasn’t
The Cubs seem more likely to wait the off-season out and try to sign whatever big name is left for a short term deal. It looks like several other clubs may be doing the same so they may not get anyone. Interesting off-season.
Have you seen anything that says the Cubs are in on Tucker?
Suzuki already is the primary DH. 151 games played. 102 at DH.
not happening
I am grateful that Kevin Alcantara and Moises Ballesteros are not included in the deal. I would not have made this trade, but it is not as bad as I thought.
I would agree Alan, after seeing the actual trade pieces. And Alcantara will likely be the traditional 4th OF, capable of playing all 3 spots. Unless they prefer him to play everyday at Iowa and sign a veteran OF to hold down this role.
Now we’ll see if Hoyer tries to go all in on Bregman or another bat. Not expecting it, but we all know Jed will be “interested.”
I hate giving up ONKC and I had high hopes for Hernandez but they weren’t gonna get Cabrera for less than ONKC. I truly believe that. He was gonna be part of any deal for a starting pitcher.
I’m surprised they didn’t insist on Shaw. Not sure how much upside Shaw has, but he showed incredible defense at 3B and ups and downs with the bat but he hit at every level. He’ll just have to pick his spots where he can jump a pitcher and try to use his power to pull vs the minors where his approach was almost exclusively right center.
Not a terrible trade since we are still talking lottery tickets despite Cassie hype. Still, this is not front of the rotation help unless based purely on faith. The team still needs another Pitcher and bat.
careful, I talked about this and almost got killed on another news site.
Alcantara is out of options, and they seem to have soured on him anyway. I think he will be cut in ST, much as Canario was last year. I suspect they will sign a back up middle infielder and a back up outfielder, maybe to minor-league contracts with a ST invite, and that will be all. I cannot imagine that they will be in on Bichette, Bregman, Tucker or especially Bellinger.
Aaron Sapoznik: You must be a Cubs fan. The bias shines through as bright as day.
Teoscar Hernandez would look sharp in Cubbie pinstripes. Trade Incoming!!! With Tucker signing in La-La Land for a high AAV with opt outs.
Aloha Alan, agreed. I’m fine with letting Shaw at 3B and Seiya in RF, then Alcantara can be the 4th OF giving everyone days off. But Jed has been after Bregman, who I wish he’d let go of. I would be open to Bo B but that probably means that he plays 3B and Shaw becomes the super utility player. We’ll see. Mahalo
I believe Alcantara is out of options and may not be able to get sent down without going through waivers. I hoped he would be the trade piece. I saw him and Caissie a few times in Iowa and Caissie reminded me of Joc Pederson which is pretty good. Alcantara has some good power too but doesn’t seem to get to it enough. I like the trade.
kgcubs
Hi, friend!
Check out Cabrera’s 2025 home and away splits and let me know if they over-worry me.
Cabrera was a stud in Miami and a dud on the road.
Skip
I have read things that say Cubs are still in on Tucker, Bergman and Belli. As for the Belli rumor, I am LMAO.
Skip
Seiya shifts to left to replace Tucker, Happ in right, PCA Center, KA is fourth OF and MB is DH unless they add a bat
So it appears they traded Darvish to Padres a few years back for Cabrera today. Is there any prospects left in system from Darvish Trade? Happy New Year to you and family KG.
MB100
Typo in my last post, Happ in LF, Seiya RF
@Aaron: Suzuki was better in right than Tucker was last season. As is true of so much of Tucker’s game, the IDEA that he’s really good defensively trumps the REALITY that he isn’t.
@kg: Yes. Ricketts would be a very good addition. I din’t really feel enthusiastic about Bregman or the others
Aloha Jiggs, good question about that Darvish trade. I know it takes capital to make capital and Caissie is a hard one to lose. I wish him well and want him to succeed. Keep an eye out for the young prospect De Leon that was included in the trade package, a friend informed me that he had the best bat speed in the entire system. Hope you and your family have a great New Year! Don’t watch too many games in St Louis now, lol! Mahalo!
Aloha MLB100, I have my concerns as well. I’ve liked Cabrera for some time now, though his health is a concern and Keith Law commented that control has always been an issue, especially his fastball. Then we go from a warmer climate at the beginning of the season to a colder one. I hope the Cubs pitching and conditioning staff have a plan to get Edward into shape and working on his “mechanics/adjustments” as we need him now to deliver 150+ innings each of the next 3yrs. On the flip side, he has Ace stuff and if he can get his control down, this would be huge for the team/rotation. I’m hoping for the best. Mahalo!
His arm doesn’t really have to hold up all year though. He is really only needed at the end and hopefully for the Playoffs. Still he better not need TJ in May is all I have to say.
If Shota can even have a sub 4.50 era, when Steele returns, they should go to a 6 person rotation of Horton, Steele, Boyd, Cabrera, Taillon and Shota. Rea and Assad in pen available for spot starts.
@Unclemike1526:
True enough. That could also be said about any pitcher the Cubs acquire. At least Edward Cabrera comes with two additional seasons of relatively cheap arbitration control beyond 2026. Signing a premium free agent TOR and then having him go under the knife would be more costly, at least in terms of dollars. Just ask the Diamondbacks after signing Corbin Burnes last offseason.
The longer this goes the more I suspect this is a lot of smoke with no fire.
I keep coming back expecting to see more details.
Uncle Mike
Tell me why Cabrera’s 2025 home and away splits do not bother you.
Have to give something to get something.
Gonna be interesting to see what happens to Jamo. Rea to the pen obviously. Hottovy will ean his pay this year but he has some arms to wade through now.
I think Jamo solidified his spot in the rotation all year with what he did for us when we needed him last year.
Jamo is a fantastic 3/4 for the Cubs. He has his moments where he looks like a top-end 2, but he’s been a lot better with consistency the last 1.5 seasons.
If Edward is healthy you make this deal all day, I don’t think Caisse will be more than average but hope he has a nice career
It wouldn’t be Ballesteros because the Marlins already have a young catcher who can’t catch in Ramirez.
I have to admit that I’m not sold on Caissie being more than a TTO #6 hitter with average RF defense. Trading him moves Suzuki back to RF which he prefers over DH and opens up a spot to get an improvement at 3B and move Shaw to a utility role and the DH against LHP.
I sure hope Ballesteros is NOT part of this trade. To me at least, he appears to be a Top 6, quality hitter in the Cubs lineup for years to come. PCA, Busch and Ballesteros should fill 3 LH spots. Plus having Ballesteros around, means they really don’t need to carry a 3rd catcher all season.
With Conrad coming through the minors, Caissie would be expendable. I think that Triantos would be a player likely to be included in the deal. Plus maybe a pitcher like Assad?
I doubt Assad is in this deal because the Marlins have a fair amount of pitching, but I think that both Assad and Wicks get moved for younger prospects once spring training starts and teams can move injured pitchers to the 60-day IL.
Pass on moving Shaw. He was the best defensive 3b last year in the NL that didn’t win a gold glove, in his first try at it.
Don’t need to mess with what isn’t broken
@brick
I hope Assad is not part of the deal. I’d be ok with Wicks going.
@44. Shaw has not impressed me with his bat. Beginning with the obvious changes he needed to make with his weird stance. At times he looked lost at the plate. Yeah his defense was decent for a rookie.
Decent? The guy learns a new position at the MLB level, is a gold glove finalist and that’s decent?
He has less than 400 mlb at bats. And was sent down mid season. Finished with 13 HR, 21 doubles, 3 triples and 17 steals. Pro rate that to 600 at bats with a year of seasoning.
I’m with you @refugee, was very impressed with Shaw at 3B. He looked fantastic and he’s hit at every level. The ups and downs at the show IMO had more to do with him being a natural right/center approach but not having the power to take those balls out at the same clip as in the minors and the coaching staff wanting him to pick his spots where he jumped a pitch to pull it out. Balancing those approaches will take some time on task, but he had some very good streaks with the bat, added speed on the bases and great defense at the hot corner.
I’m with you on Shaw. The kid is a rookie and I think he will be a awesome player and I rather have him than the way over priced Bregman
For the same dollars, I would take Bregman but the difference between him and Shaw will be pretty small.
Gotta give to get. Hate to lose Caissie, but to me, it’s palatable. I expect the package will be more than just Caissie though.
The Cubs don’t have that much in the way of high value position players left at AA and lower, except for last year’s draft class. If the Marlins want a Pedro Ramirez and Bateman to go along with Caissie, sure.
I don’t think Alcantara is seen as a top prospect anymore. ONKC, maybe, but even he is not all that.
You don’t have to be a top prospect to be a 4th OF. Just have to face facts that Seiya and Happ are gonna be here past 26. As long as they don’t have NTC’s I’m fine with it. As long as they don’t block guys like Conrad and Kepley it’s acceptable to me.
Alcantara certainly has the ability to be Henry Cotto. Don’t laugh, old Henry came within 9 days of a full 10 years of service time.
Happ has already been discussed for an extension. As Cub fans know he’s a Hoyer favorite.
Source?
Caissie or Alcantara (especially the latter) wouldn’t even be enough. Fans cling to prospects WAY too much. Corner OFers who can hit are super easy to find. SP’s with three years of control and Cabrera’s stuff are not.
Exactly! Cabrera has extrene value.
Agree but can you find a good one for the reds please
Apparently it was.
Extreme? Not quite. Fair deal for both teams. One top prospect for SP with upside and three years of control.
Corner OFs are far easier to find than SPs.
I’d trade Caissie plus a couple lower tier prospects for Cabrera. Buy the FA outfielders next year. It’ll be cheaper than spending for starting pitching.
Or if Happ and/or Seiya have decent years, slap a QO on them, make them go hmmmmmm.
There is absolutely no way that I would ever take a chance on offering Happ a QO. At this time, Happ isn’t even one of the best 3 LH hitters in their lineup. LFers who can hit better than Happ, are readily available for much less than $20M a year.
Depends on how he does in 2026.
Dog, 4.0 WAR with 120 OPS+ is worth >> $21.0 million.
Bellinger is the player that has hit better as a LF than Happ that is available. How much will he cost?
There might not even be a next year.
While the players lost no money as a result of the last lockout because the full 162 regular season games were played, the owners did lose money because of lost spring training games, rescheduled regular season games. both from ticket sales from games that were turned into double headers and because of TV contracts.
There are several estimates as to how much money exactly, but the Braves lost $11 million and I don’t think other teams would be that much different. Maybe a million dollars either way of that?
Because only the owners lost the last time, I don’t see them wanting to lose more money if they can avoid it. They may play hardball and lock the players out for a short time during the offseason, but only to pressure the players to make concessions. They will not want to repeat the last fiasco.
Skip, the RSN situation means the owners have to fight amongst themselves about revenue sharing before they can even propose something to the MLBPA. The small market teams may want to lock out everyone so that the big market teams suffer.
Neither Seiya nor Ian will get a QO unless they hit 30+ homers in 2026. Happ does not hit well enough and Seiya is a weak fielder.
Hoerner will get a QO. If they extend Hoerner in the next few weeks, I will be impressed and shocked.
What does the RSN situation have to do with a lockout? Between broadcast and streaming, “TV” revenue increased in 2025. Going forward, the owners just increased revenue more with the deal from Disney/ESPN. What will happen soon is all the teams other than the few with huge RSN deals like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox will go under the MLB umbrella and be guaranteed just as much or more money than they are getting now. MLB be forming their own union of teams to negotiate bigger broadcast contracts.
Teams can’t lock out players individually. The sport as a whole would have to do so. An aside, because its all one union now for both minor and major league players, it would have to be a lockout of all players this time.
Happ will absolutely get a QO. He has averaged 4.0 WAR and nearly 120 OPS+ the past 4 seasons. He is a good hitter at 18-20% above average. 30 HR is not the determining factor.
Suzuki is a question mark. His lack of flexibility would mean he would have to put up another 130 or higher OPS+ season to be in the mix for a QO. I do think that if he puts up a 130 OPS+ that as a FA he will get $20 million AAV on his next contract, so a QO is not out of the question.
Hoerner is a no-brainer for a QO. 6.2 WAR last season. 5.2 WAR average the past 3 seasons. If he is near 3 WAR this season he will get a QO. I think that barring injury he will far surpass that level of play.
Skip, the “union of teams” will argue with the six or seven teams which still have good RSN deals or own their RSN, trying to get more revenue sharing. Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Red Sox are not going to want to do that.
Until those two sides of owners reach agreement, there will never be enough owner votes to even allow Manfred to take a labor proposal to the MLBPA, teams will just vote No internally on each proposal.
You said “union of teams.” That “union” has to get its deal first.
Brick, they only need a three-quarters majority or 23 owners to make that type of decision. Not 100%. That is doable if the alternative is losing money.
Teams that are already under the MLB umbrella including the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies reported that they did not lose revenue compared to what they were being paid by an RSN by having MLB negotiate their local broadcast rights. One reported an increase in total potential viewership. That was the Padres who added 1.1 million TV households when their RSN went bankrupt.
Teams got their deal with Disney. “TV” revenue will increase in 2026. If the owners don’t agree on a labor proposal, they lose money if a lockout interferes with the schedule like it did last time. They don’t want to lose more money.
Absolutely agree about Hoerner, he is incredible.
Maybe I am wrong about Happ and Seiya. Especially with a looming lockout.
Happ would accept a QO. Seiya probably would not.
I can’t imagine that Hoerner’s agent would even discuss an extension until after Bichette signs somewhere.
They still need one more big name in the next 8 days before the Cubs Convention begins.
Brick, minor leaguers are a separate bargaining union with a separate CBA. So I don’t think they’d be locked out.
I could see the Cubs not offer a QO because they are afraid it will be accepted by anyone not named Hoerner.
Alcantara would be preferably. I don’t have faith he is going to be anything more than a good #4 or average outfielder. He looks like a guy that will hit around .250-.260 with 20 to 25 HR potential and solid D. He will probably be your typical high strikeout, low walk guy.
Alcantara will be the Cubs 4th outfielder with one option left. He doesn’t have the value to headline the trade here.
Alcantara will not be on the Cubs this season. He will be released in ST.
If his body fills out, I believe Alcantara can be a good MLB starting OFer.
Back away from the crack pipe Alan.
Agree, Alcantara will make the Opening Day roster or be on the IL.
Top 100 is it 100% that it is Cassie? If so I don’t like it that kid looks like he can just flat out hit! Let’s just wait to see who cubs give up when it’s official…..but if it Cassie no bueno plus is Cabrera that good? Long history of injuries?
MLB Top 100 Commenter: The piece specifically names Caissie as being involved. But they’re not getting Cabrera for nothing.
MadMag, the article didn’t initially mention who was involved. this site recycles articles and just keeps pushing them to the top with edits, but doesn’t specify what the edits are.
The article was updated
And there’s no guarantee that Cabrera will ever make it to 137 innings again, is there?
Why does everyone think that Owners’ have limitless pockets of money ? Yes they could have spent the owners’ money or financed an additional addition by spiking ticket prices . But then you would have complained equally about that. It’s a business and a sport . And essentially that has a price. Otherwise each team has a budget so that they don’t lose money annually and can pay the staff be it the groundsman or the guy who throws pitches 30 days a year.
Frenchredsox: Given the player contracts being willingly given out by owners, why are you crying poverty for them?
No. You’re missing the whole point. Now Ricketts doesn’t HAVE to pay a FA starter. That’s why this deal was made.
MLB- I would say more questionable than horrible. It is a judgement call. Top prospects are still just prospects with no guarantees that they will make it in the majors. A pitcher even with an injury history with the potential Cabrera has does have considerable value and they have him under control for several years. I do understand your point though because you don’t want to gut the farm system and have the pitcher end up injured.
They can always trade Cabrera to the Red Sox for Duran if they need an outfielder, we can never have too much pitching.
Having seen the exact players, I agree. More questionable than horrible.
If Cabrera pitches well in Chicago, he won’t be dealt and if he bombs at home, I doubt Boston woukd still be interested in. Separately, Duran is likely to be gone before the start of 26.
Why do the Cubs have scouts and a gm when they could have hired you . Yes a pitcher who throws 98 has over 9k per 9 3.45 E.R.A. Is a terrible pick up. Going to miss Cassie wasn’t even good enough to be on playoff roster. Of is dime a dozen . How many OF have the Cubs had that were supposed to be can’t miss?
When I was saying more questionable it did not mean I would not make the trade. I was just relating to what MLB was saying. I am not someone who overvalues prospects when you are getting a player with the upside that Cabrera has, but the questionable part is his injury history. As a Red Sox fan, we have had our fair share of injured/injury prone players who don’t work out. I think this was a solid gamble, but I understand MLB’s concerns.
Caissie is controllable for much longer than Cabrera, six years to three. Cabrera also has an injury history. But let’s see. Raise the “W”.
MLB Top 100 Commenter: Unless Cabrera is TJS waiting to happen. I’ve heard that the Marlins had some concern about that. Time will tell.
That does worry me. Sandy, Eury, Braxton, Henrique’s, Sixto. Fish arms are “fins”.
Mikel
Look at Cabrera’s stats when he pitches outside of Miami’s pitcher park
Bye bye Caissie!
All pitchers get injured. You got Cabrera cheap for a few yrs. 37 yr olds get 20 million dollar 2 yr deals.
This is absolutely ridiculous what are the Yankees doing. I just saw this post this morning.
MLB, the path to being a big league contributor is littered with the corpses of hitters who K nearly 30% of the time in the minors. Some break through like Kyle Stowers, many more are bound for the Orient. To get 3 years of a prime pitching talent you gotta give up something. I was surprised the other way, I didn’t think the Cubs gave up enough.
Congratulations my Cubies!!!
Trash
Treasure
So let’s see what they give up… posting this with the original post.
My guess is Caissie or Rojas plus a couple of lesser pieces.
Why would the Marlins on the verge of competing for the playoffs trade a good young pitcher? Makes no sense to me unless they’re getting a good amount of offense back?
Marlins have 7-8 MLB starting pitchers that would start on any other team… they are trading from strength
What’s the point of the marlins?
And yet they still stink….the prior comment was spot on when he asked why would a team on the brink trade their best assets (your comment about 7-8 starting pitchers) when pitching is at such a premium around the league….pitching and defense is what wins playoff games over offense….of course you have to get there….and further….exactly which 7-8 starters do they have…..we’re all anxious to hear your analysis of who these guys are….
Do they?
Alcantara, Perez, Junk, Meyer and Weathers is probably the rotation. Thomas White is a very good prospect but he’s not ready.
Weathers has yet to crack 100 innings. Meyer is coming off a 64 inning season. Don’t really have a problem with them cashing in on Cabrera if they got Caissie +. But I’d say the Marlins could use another starter.
@Jeremy
Marlins had the 5th worst ERA and the 10th worst WAR. They had 1 pitcher with an ERA under 4 and they just traded him. What depth of pitching are you talking about Nevis you can have a bunch of 5th starters but that’s not going to help you contend. And no I’m not dating that they don’t have a couple of guys with the talent to be FOR but they didn’t perform as such last year.
Braxton Garrett says hello…
@jeremyn – Guessing all wouldn’t be starters on the Dodgers.
Forgot he was on the mend. Junk, Meyer and Weathers have still never put together a full season starter’s workload.
Gbfl23: What’s the point of your existence?
To remind people that under its current construction, MLB is a joke. You have a third of the owners that careless about competing with no checks and balances for them. You have a third of the teams that essentially act as feeder teams for those who are actually serious about competing.
Gbfl23: You remind me of the saying “Everyone complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.”
If MLB is such a joke, what do you propose be done about it?
Salary cap and floor. Players will never, ever go for the former.
Eury Perez over Roki Sasaki IMHO
Garrett had a 5.35 ERA in 2025, a career ERA >4.00 and only once in his 5 years in the majors not spent half the season or more on the IL.
vta, only Perez would make the Dodgers squad.
920, the players set down some parameters for discussing a hard salary cap. They started with all the teams opening their books to the union. Until the players know exactly what the owners are making, how can any agreement on a fair hard cap be made? Beyond that they wanted 100% revenue sharing between the teams and a guaranteed percentage of total revenue going to the players. The owners would not consider any of the 3. Its a dead issue from both sides. .
Meyer is coming off hip surgery. Not sure how his recovery is going.
Robbie Snelling?
Marlins better than most winning 2 WS titles in last 30 years along with lot of futility.
The Pirates and Marlins are in the same boat. Have decent controlable pitching especially prospects coming, but lack offense.
They’ve both made trades now sending pitchers elsewhere for offense
Thats exactly what the Mets said last Sept. Playoff dreams. Then the Marlins swept them. Sept the Yankees as well. How did htose teams do in 2025? Did they win it all?
robw5555: What did the Mets say last September?
Vetting of owners. If you don’t make the playoffs in five years, new owner. Will obviously never happen but they have waaaaay too much power without consequence
Cassie is a good get, too.
I knew Jed would P__s me off before the off season was over.
So is Caissie haha. Sorry. You forgot the extra I in his game.
@uncle: I think this is likely to be banged by the medicals.
If it happens and Caissie is the biggest part of the return. I’m OK with it.
I thought Jed is either sleeping or dumpster diving
Mike, Jed does that to you just by waking up each morning still employed.
Why can’t my team get good players from other teams in exchange for our scraps? That’s not fair! Whaaaaah!
*name, not game.
Whaddaya want Mike?
Unclemike1526: Better pissed off than pissed on.
True Dat.
Usually I would agree, and still would if this were midseason and Cabrera was pitching well, but the Marlins have more good starting pitching than they have space for, can’t develop bats to save their lives and Caissie has 3 more years of control than Cabrera, to say nothing or the other pieces likely coming back to Miami with him.
They have 4 starters that Fangraphs projects for a FIP below 4.00.
This is a position of depth and strength for them
I’d say relative strength. I think many people underestimate small market teams, but to say 7-8 pitchers would start in any other team’s rotation is hyperbole.
They have some good potential arms, but now one less. And at an even lower cost than several folks suggested would be absurd.
Caissie would be a great acquisition for them. Their offense is awful and they’re loaded down with arms and more in the pipeline. Free Thomas White!!
How can you really “project” what a guy with an ERA over 5 will do next year?
KFCF
Yes. Of course
Only possible reason is a good return in trade and the fact that they really like their pitching prospects.
They now enter the year with:
Alcantara
Perez
Weathers
Garrett
Meyer
and two or three top 100 pitching prospects:
-Robby Snelling
-Thomas White
-Noble Meyer
This is a Marlins team that has traded both Taylor Rogers and Pablo Lopez in recent years. Lopez returned Arreaz who landed them Jakob Marsee from the Padres. Rogers returned Kyle Stowers. Two bats at the top of their lineup but their rotation could have been very good. Garrett is coming off TJ and Weathers has had a long history with injuries. The rotation isnt nearly as formidable without Cabrera.
I like Kemp Alderman as much as Cassie. I dont understand why the Marlins are punting. They must really like Robby Snelling and Thomas White. I thought they were very close to contention for best in the NL.
They traded Luzardo too. Noble Meyer isn’t going to debut this year and has fallen off top 100 lists but Snelling and White likely will at some point.
When was Taylor Rogers ever a Marlin?
And Sixto Sanchez blew up.
Alcantara, Garrett, Meyer, Rogers and Perez all TJs. Probably why they are dealing Cabrera, they don’t want to pay another starter to rehab.
Cabrera was strong last season and strong through September, I don’t see any reason to be concerned about his injury risk other than his 99mph heater and his sick breaking balls.
I liked the Marlins staff a lot with Henriquez and Cabrera in the mix. Much less without them.
Ben Brown being included in this trade could swing it to the Fish but otherwise I dont like the trade much.
He must mean Trevor not Taylor
I thought Robbie Snelling was goint to be in the Padres future rotation, but they traded him to the Marlins.
Hold up. The Marlins have two pitchers with the last name Meyer? Max Meyer and Noble Meyer
I never knew that.
If Miami had traded asterisks for Jake Meyer, he could have joined Max and Noble
The Marlins are not on the verge of competing for a playoff spot. Trading their #1 starter from 2025 shows that they are continuing their rebuild for at least one more season.
What is Cabrera’s park adjusted stats? Going from South Florida to Chicago could worsen his stats.
Not much at all.
I don’t think the Marlins projected any innings coming from Cabrera for 2026, only out of habit by assuming he would be out with injuries as per usual. This guy has had such a litany of injuries in his career. Dude is 29 years old. Putting the Over/Under at 1.5 for how many injuries he has remaining before out of baseball for good.
It’s beyond apparent to me now that Hoyer has no feel for the game, no inherent baseball sense. Resembling more of a charlatan & and a sham whose next job should be running that used car lot in the blue collar part of town that doubles as a neighborhood Swap Meet every other Saturday.
Ignorant
Plus his 2025 home and away splits scare me, Miami may in a pitcher’s park
He’s 27 going in 28 on April 13. But I guess that means he’s 27 going on 29.
Thanks Player, I don’t know why 29 was stuck in my head. I’m glad he is younger in that case.
You get Cabrera at a salary near nothign for a few yrs. That also factors. Pitchers and inuries? Happens all the time. Your bulldog starter may end up with a TJ in spring traning?. Justin Steele is injury prone. Spencer Strider is. Scherzer hobbles to the mound every yr and picks up a huge check when he is hurt every yr.
Miami is a pitchers park. In 2023 Cabrera was 0-7 on the rd. Pitching at Wrigley he may be better on the road.
Wrigley is not the hitters’ park it used to be. The wind usually blows in.
He was significantly better in his spacious home park. He was homer prone away from Miami.
Good call. I had not looked to see his splits. 4.63 ERA on the road vs 2.72 at home with double the HR rate on the road.
The splits and the injury are my only worries. You know like death and taxes.
With the addition of Cassie, Miami will have one of the best (young) outfields in all of baseball provided that Cassie is able to hit major league pitching of course. Miami is slowly building a team to be reckoned with. They probably won’t complete for a playoff spot in 2026, but they are positioned well for a playoff run starting in 2027 and continuing until their young players become too expensive. Then they can start the process over again.
Dottie, so what you are saying is the Marlins are continuing their rebuild for at minimum one more season and then they will trade away more players when they start making <$4 million like Cabrera.
You are saying that if he doesn't completely stink like he did in 2025 that Alcantara will be gone at the deadline. As will Fairbanks.
I agree. The perpetual rebuild continues in Little Havana.
True. But every October the Mets, Yankees, Cubs, are all on the sofa with the Mets. Dodgers will win again in 2026.
Peter Bendix bringing the Rays Way to Miami.
What has Caissie done that suggests he is the next Ken Griffey Jr.?
Marlins could likely have found a player that can replace Caissie in the rule 5 draft. Izaac Pacheco or Kala’i Rosario.
Thank gosh it’s not us! (The Mets). I have a feeling he is going to have elbow issues this year.
He’s the next Sixto Sanchez
Sixto Sanchez had great stuff and it was a bummer losing him to shoulder injuries.
I’m kind of surprised he didn’t play at all last year even though he was terrible in 2024 he was still 27 and it was his only season played in years.
Sixto Sanchez never had great stuff. He had one pitch. Never struck out many. When a guy throws 100 and doesnt average 1K per inning you have to wonder. Also lazy.
Sixto only threw 40 innings before his shoulder injury, had elite WHIP rates in the minors, had excellent control of a five pitch mix that included a 99mph four seamer that cuts in on righties, sinker had a lot of movement, slider was a plus pitch too.
I watched Sixto pitch, mostly on youtube. It was the crazy movement on his pitches that wowed me. I was a fan from the getgo. I couldn’t believe the movement on his fastball, it was extraordinary. His slider is a dropper too. Sixto had elite stuff and was easily a top 20 SP prospect.
He didnt get the K’s because he pitched in the zone, he missed bats in the zone and induced weak contact. His HR/9 rates were extraordinary. He was a better pitcher than Cabrera.
I felt the same way when I first saw Cabrera pitch, was wowed the same way.
I don’t know about Sixto Sanchez and his work ethic, he couldn’t overcome the shoulder injuries and the setbacks and its a bummer because he had the best “stuff” of anyone in MLB.
Besides, not a big fan of pitchers who can’t hold runners on.
All pitchers are in the exact same boat.
Jon Lester enters the chat….
Hopefully they didn’t give up Chet Steadman. I still believe in his high stinky cheddar.
They did say they wanted to save the Rocket for the playoffs
I brought him Reebok! He’s my cuh-lie-ent!
Do me a favor, don’t call me Rocket
He would later became Drake Sabitch who lives in the middle of rural Washington with all the Bruce Lee movies on Lazer disc
Gardenhoser!
Funky buttlovin
Little help here!
Over my head as usual.
While Henry is on first after showing incredible patience at the plate with a 4 pitch walk.
Rod Becks Doppelganger on the mound. “Pitcher’s got a big butt” with his hands at both ears making “dumbo ears” I guess is the way to describe it.
I’m glad he’s not going to the Yankees specifically, and staying out of the AL East in general.
Yes, the last thing the Yankees need and should do is add another pitcher who has a “ceiling” that he hasn’t achieved, has a changeup as his best pitch with an average fastball,,was hurt twice this past season, and hasn’t ever pitched beyond 150 innings in his career…..all because he’s “controllable” over the next 3 years….3 years in which he’s either hurt or stinks and gets lit up….he’d be eaten alive in the AL East….
Oh please with the sour grapes. The kids a bada$$. And the Cubs have done well with getting guys with injury histories back on track. Looks at the year Boyd had last season- pitched more innings than he had since 2019. Horton has an injury history and they got a tremendous second half from him…
I actually think it was a decent use of Caissie if they weren’t going to play him. Cubs 27 rotation might start out Horton, Cabrera, Wiggins , Steele. That can go places. Never heard of the arm but I’ve never seen him which means he wasn’t even in A ball yet. So I can’t even complain. Hernandez was going nowhere here.
Oh I guess the other guy was an Infielder. Even better.
Most of the cubs draft picks last year were college outfielders. Alcantara is ready, Ballesteros probably destined for dh, Happ no trade, Seiya signed, PCA. Where is Caissie going to play? It was him or Ballesteros. Smart trade I wish they would have done it at the deadline last year.
Uncle
I agree that Hernandez was going nowhere. I have not heard of the third guy.
Makes 2 of us!
People say I should wipe better.
Ranger, why are you letting people get close enough to notice?
I’m German
No comment…
Then use your bidet
You be you, Ranger. People who get angry about the brown spots and streaks you leave on their furniture are just haters.
Wrong forum there Ranger …
Barral already backtracked his statement what a moron
The only Cubs hitting prospect (maybe Conrad too) I don’t want to be included is Caissie…so, of course
Won’t be Conrad and Caissie. Conrad is now the top LH bat OF in the system. Maybe Long and a Sanders or Noland, Mule or another arm. He’s not dumb enough to trade Wiggins too.
Yeah, wasn’t intended it as an AND statement, but rather an OR. Wouldn’t want to lose either of them for an oft-injured SP when there are so many other options out there. I didn’t phrase it clearly.
Though, wouldn’t have completely surprised if JH would bite at something like that.
I hope its Grant Kipp and Jostin Florentino.
I was watching some Kipp highlights, he reminds me of David Cone.
I’d be thrilled if it was Kipp because he impresses me the least of the top 30 prospects with 2 I haven’t seen yet( Reid, Wing) There will definitely be some pitching going back as long as it’s not Wiggins I’m good.
Other sites say that the outgoing prospects are “position players”.
Even better. Cubs have a bunch of them to move that probably aren’t gonna be around long term. Ramirez, Rojas, Long, Triantos being 4.
I’d be ok with Long, I think he’s a tweener who has promise but would be better on a team like Detroit where AJ Hinch plays mix and match every couple of innings.
Personally I much rather it was Rojas who has no chance to play here until 2029. Plus the Cubs have like 6 SS’s behind him.
He’ll replace Horner in ‘27.
You got your wish, Mike.
Wrong. Lol
oof what an overpay
But all starting pitching costs a lot either in dollars or in prospects. That’s just the nature of the beast. But you would think that a team with the money the Cubs have could go out and buy pitching instead of having to give away the farm. But not Ricketts.
yeah that’s the Jed effect for you.. my coworker broke the news for me on the trade lol He has been loud in his stance against Cabrera
It’s one pitcher for one prospect. None of the other starting pitchers costed the Cubs prospects. Dramatize much?
we don’t know who is all included, just yet ..
lol they havent even released the return yet
If Owen Caissie never makes an All Star team, it absolutely cannot be considered an overpay. If he makes one 4 years from now, it’s still not an overpay.
Love this!
Wow Caissie is a nice return for Miami
I hate that Owen Caissie is part of it but w5 the same time the Cubs needs to do something. I hope mo Baller isn’t part of the package.
Cassie will be another Matt Mervis. Good deal for the Cubs if that is who is going.
Not sure who Cassie is but Caissie has that raw lefty power that’s not easy to find. The package sounds like ONKC is the main center piece to the trade.
Most outfielders are lefty, and nearly all hit with power. No idea where this comment comes from.
Cassie is Zack’s girlfriend in A Chorus Line.
I view Caissie more to be like a Joc Pederson type. I think he will hit righties and be a strong side platoon but someone who will need to sit against lefties.
He hasnt had many chances so he might be able to hit lefties. Michael Busch did just fine against them. No reason why ONKC can’t be successful against them too. He can’t never improve if he never faces them.
Didn’t have any platoon splits in 2024, but did hit just .217/.351/.359 last year, so who knows…
Cassie and Ben Brown
Who is Cassie?
LOL, it really is amazing: It’s like some people misspell names and other words on purpose.
It’s like all those annoying commercials in which nouns are used as verbs.
And those hip musicians … and their complicated shoes!!!
Now we definitely need another bat/RF. Tuck or Belli
Kevin Alcantara will get playing time in RF now. Personally I see more upside with ONKC but the Cubs needed pitching badly.
The nice thing about KA is that he can play CF is PCA is injured. For a tall lanky guy, he is also fast
Can’t see the Cubs reuniting with Bellinger. He should stay with the Yankees but if it’s a high AAV shorter term deal, the Mets or Dodgers will grab him.
Mo DH’s, Suzuki to RF vs RHP, Alcantara to RF, Suzuki to DH vs. LHP.
Or Mo and Austin split DH and Busch sees more LHP.
Or both.
There was just a report that it’ll be Mo Baller or ONKC. Personally I’d rather keep both and part with Kevin Alcantara instead.
I’ll take that with a grain of salt. Because there’s no firm confirmation that ONKC is part of the deal.
The Marlins already have Augustine Ramirez who is a bad defensive catcher. They don’t need a second one in Moises.
Brick
My edits
The Marlins already had a DH in Augustin Ramirez. They don’t need a second DH in Ballesteros.
You’re putting way too much stock in Alcantara being ready- in the same vein as Canario recently.
Oh yeah I know. That’s just who I would trade. I wasn’t hoping ONKC would be a main stay on the Cund especially after Tucker officially signs elsewhere. I wanted to get a custom jersey for ONKC to either day Orange Crush or simply OKNC
Finally! As bad as we do need help in the rotation this guy worries me because he can’t stay on the mound. He seems to get injured quite often. But there’s not a lot of starting pitching available so I guess you have to make the deal and hope you can keep him healthy.
Thats a pretty good take on pitching today. You kind of hold your breath a little when your team trades or signs a starter.
This is huge
Yep with Cubs Convention coming up there is always a huge move just before so fans can celebrate Tom and Jed.
This is huge Another Valdez target down so maybe we can get him for a cheap price.
He was never going to the Cubs. Don’t need four lefties in the rotation.
Don’t really need another bat. Ballesteros is now the DH with Alcantara the 4th OF and Austin being the RH DH and 1B. He can play some OF too. I wouldn’t believe any of that Belli B.S.
Alcantara hasn’t figured it out yet. High upside potential though, just not putting things together enough to rely on him as the 4th outfielder on a team that is expected to advance in the off-season, especially since there’s money in the budget.
He’s the only guy left that can really play CF in a pinch. Signing someone else doesn’t make sense because to fit a guy like Belli under the Tax would mean dealing Taillion.
This. The Cubs lineup is fine. They’ll win or lose with their pitching staff.
And we know they aren’t exceeding the tax or signing long term contracts b/c of the lockout potential.
Rather play Kevin Alcantara as the fourth OF than get a week but expensive bat like Bader.
Mets and Os are the teams you need to worry about.
I’d say recent Draft pick Josiah Hartshorn & another lottery ticket or two (in addition to Caissie) would be a good pickup for the Marlins.
Could be good news for Boras to use the illusion (real or not) that by Cubs addressing SP at low salary in Cabrera…..is now pivoting to Bregman or Bellinger. Anything to challenge RSox/Yanks to up its respective offers to keep those FAs that opted out.
Absolutely not Bregman. Hard pass on Belli too. He has no spot to play everyday.
Belli would play RF and Suzuki would DH mostly. They could flop around the way Tucker and Seiya did. But I don’t think Tucker, Belli or Bregman are really a good idea.
I don’t want Bregman anywhere near the Cubs unless it’s in the first base dugout as a visiting player.
Testify!
I would endorse Tucker on a 4 to 5 year deal with opt outs, but I think the odds of that happening with the Cubs is less than one percent.
Belli is better suited for Yankee Stadium that Wrigley, no way he returns on short term deal.
I am the guy who was ok with trading Paredes because I believe in Shaw and Hoerner. I am doubling down, both Hoerner and Shaw will outperform Bregman over the next five years.
Can’t wait to start seeing a stream of “mystery”/”secret bidder” posts
to jack up the price and get a team or teams bidding against themselves lol!
If Caissie is in this deal the Brewers must be licking their chops thinking what they can get for Peralta. Cabrera has thrown over 100 innings exactly once!!
Peralta is a rental and Cabrera has 3 years of control left.
But still the best pitcher left on the trade market not named Tarik. The price keeps going up for both.
Tarik is not on the market. Are you not paying attention? That’s not how Harris works.
Skubal will only be traded if Tigers are four to five games out of playoffs at trade deadline.
Should be quite the haul for Marlins if the trade of Mike Burrows to Houston was a guideline for contolable pitcher
Difference Outfield is Peralta has only one year of control left.
Like Garret Crochet?
That deal seems to have turned out OK for the Red Sox.
Peralta is coming off a 2.70 ERA season. He has made 30+ starts for 3 years in a row, not having been on IL since the ’22 season. His contract is cheap for a SP, and ridiculously cheap given his production. Cabrera has one solid season (yes, he was good) in his career and he hit 100 IP for the first time… Peralta is cheap, durable, and an ace. Cabrara is cheap, not durable, and not an ace.
Implying that Cabrera is more valuable than Peralta because of two more years of control is confusing and crazy.
Not at all saying this trade was bad for either team or that Cabrera isn’t good. But saying Peralta should not bring in more than Cabrera? C’mon man.
So I’m supposed to be scared of the cubs now😂
Probably the best move on the board for the Cubs.
Id say he slots in as the Cubs #1 even as good as Boyd was last season and as good as Imanaga has been early in his career.
Potentially really good rotation:
Cabrera
Boyd
Imanaga
Horton
Taillon
Rea in the bullpen and Steele on the mend. Best shape the Cubs rotation has been in for a long time.
As a brewers fan please resign bellinger so I can laugh looking at his numbers away from Yankee stadium to replace tucker. Cabrera also has to stay healthy too
Horton
[Steele by late May]
Boyd
Cabrera
Taillon
Imanaga (at least until Steele returns)
Rea (swing)
Assad (swing)
@Commenter: I think you are being too optimistic about the timing of Steele’s return. We know how these things go; they keep pushing it back. Mid-July is probably realistic.
No ABS
Look at Canrera’s 2025 home and away splits and tell me that he is better than Ranger, Framber or even Quintana
Kind of like how folks are scared of the Brewers in the postseason amirite?
Yeah at least we consistently get there. And also don’t blow a division lead despite having an easier schedule
I’ll take winning the World Series over fizzling out every year well ahead of it.
Unless you’re a dodgers fan that’s usually not an option
Cubs fans love to clown on Brewers fans…. weird how it’s always coming from second place though. When’s the last time they’ve meaningfully gotten the best of us…?
Didn’t we beat them in the playoffs despite having a cold AF offense after coasting in September,them stealing our manager,and having twice the payroll or did I miss something?
I believe Brewers fans came to a Cubs article to clown on Cubs fans. Don’t let facts get in the way.
That was ten years ago buddy. How’s it gone since then?
You might have been able to sign Bellinger if you weren’t paying all of that money for our overrated sloppy seconds manager
That’s a good one buddy. When was the last time the Brewers won the World Series?
I’m not sure where a manager’s salary falls under luxury tax implications. Can you explain further?
I’m begging them to sign bellinger after salary dumping him last off-season and seeing his numbers away from the Bronx 😂
Win one world series in a 118 year span and now you’re all cocky? We still got plenty of time to match ya…. and with a third of the salary.
I’m just mirroring your vibe. Check.
What are your thoughts on dijon mustard?
2016
How many WS have Brewers won since 2016?
Or ever?
I have a lot of respect for what the Brewers have done. But I would not trade places.
Nope…
Every year Cubs fan talks trash about the Brewers in off-season MLBTR comments. Every season the Brewers prove them wrong.
The Cubs haven’t won the division since 2020 (covid year, if that even counts). Since then? Brewers won it 4 of the past 5 seasons. Cubs? 0.
“Who is scared of the Brewers in the post season?” Um. The Cubs. Since we sent them home. Obv…. That was an odd comment.
Bringing up about 2016 just admits you have nothing else you can talk about since then.
“Every year Cubs fan talks trash about the Brewers in off-season MLBTR comments. Every season the Brewers prove them wrong.”
Except it was Brewers fans coming to this article to trash on the Cubs.
I’d say a World Series is a pretty big accomplishment and should never be diminished. Of course you wouldn’t know what it’s like to win one so I’ll give you that.
Have to wonder if it’s Hoerner or Shaw given the Cubs pursuit of Bregman, Bichette and Marte
Don’t wonder. It’s not.
Honestly kinda thought Caissie was going to be penciled in as one of the starting outfielders with Tucker gone. If he’s not taking up one of those spots, then it kinda seems like the Cubs have more work to do in order to either complete their outfield or add a DH bat if Suzuki plays OF every day.
@407
What exactly is wrong with Ballesteros as DH, in your opinion? How often did you see Ballesteros bat, last year?
Good news, Yankees should go after Peralta.
Pay TF up 😂
Not getting him without Lombard or Dominguez going the other way, I’d guess.
I want La grange and another pitcher along with.
Hoyer had to do something because otherwise with convention coming shortly he had so many questions needed to be answered from restless loyal cubs fans.
I am very curious to know what the ask was that was too much for Cashman. I am very comfortable trading everybody but Elmer.
Wow, the Cubs fan sites were incredibly hyped up about Caissie after he was brought up. I do not think they will take this trade well.
Cassie looks like he’ll be a good outfielder. If he’s part of this trade, both teams got more interesting.
Good for the Cubs. They have loads of OF prospects and corner OFers are easy to find, unlike SP’s with Cabrera’s stuff and three years of cheap control. Great deal for them.
Seam
Don’t Cabrera’s 2025 home and away splits send out a red flag to you?
Typical cubs move, scoff at all of the FA asking prices then make a trade for a player with the contract you want essentially weakening the teams future all because you are too cheap to pay the asking price. There are pitchers of this quality on the FA market right now that don’t require any trade capital
Why pay for it when you have the prospect capital to trade?
Because you’re just giving up money that doesn’t actually matter instead of your top outfield prospect when you already left Tucker walk and only have happ and Suzuki for one more year. You’re making your future team weaker when you could literally sign a guy off the street who and get the same production
Cubs looking at a very nice 2027 Top of the Rotation Arms in Horton, Cabrera and Wiggins. That is a very cost efficient group of arms that could dominate for quite awhile. Jed might have won this maneuver.
Look at Cabrera’s 2025 home and away splits and tell me you still think he is an ace.
Good move for both teams. Marlins get some potential offensive upgrades and the Cubs get a high ceiling arm to win them games. Feels like a win-win for both teams if everything works out.
We stole Caissie from Pads and now going to give him away!
But Hey
Jed got his extension!
I must have missed the part of the headline that didn’t have Cabrera in it.
Stole? Traded three decent years of Yu Darvish away five years ago.
They actually lost that Yu Darvish trade by a lot.
How on earth would you consider that trade a steal for the Cubs?
Its been 5 years and they have nothing to show for it except for one mid year from Zach Davies when they weren’t competing and 26 ABs from Caissie. The other 3 prospects Preciado, Mena, Santana were all busts.
They traded a frontline starter who was an all-star the next season plus a decent backup catcher and didn’t get anything that improved their team until flipping one of the prospects that they got 5 whole years later. Thats not a win.
When the Cubs win the World Series this year it will be well worth it.
I really don’t get why the Cubs are so desperate for SP. I mean yeah, if like Tyrik Skubal or MacKenzie Gore became available, you go for it. But if Justin Steele returns to form, he, Horton, Shota, Taillon, and Boyd are as good as any (or at least most) rotations out there.
Cabrera is better than Gore, who’s had one good year and it was questionable under the hood. Every once in a while a player comes along that this comment group just will not accept is really, really good. Usually because they play for non-glamour teams. Cabrera is fantastic.
Fantastic is Miami, so-so on the road
Depth is key here. Three of the starters in the playoffs last year were openers.
did you see the playoffs last year, and who started for the Cubs???? That alone should tell you why the Cubs’ need pitching. Even with 7 starters, they will most likely end up using them all, with injuries.
Cubs now also have the benefit of potentially going 6 man rotation which has health benefits for late season runs.
Steele is a giant question mark this year coming off injury and Shota got lit up like a Christmas tree in the second half.
Where’s Passan?
Good! This way the Mets won’t get saddled with him. He’s an injury machine.
Cubs stealing from the Yankers!
If your over paying i Would rather have sandy -if not Zac Gillian
Which would cost only cash
Gallen would also cost a pick and intrntl money.
If you are thinking of playoffs, pitching wins every time. I can see the logic behind getting a huge starting staff.
Like his upside no doubt..but don’t they have enough pitchers who can’t stay healthy without adding another..especially if it means giving up cassie and maybe more high level prospects..but this a very jed move dont wanna pay out real cash so probably over pay on a hope and prayer he can stay healthy..i know we dont know the whole package but given jeds history he will probably over pay
Any chance that something like Long, Triantos, and a raw, lower level guy or 2 get the job done?
No. Probably more like Caissie, Pedro Ramirez, and Christian Hernandez. Maybe the Marlins do the Cubs a favor and take Ed Howard as well so that they can quietly release him in May while nobody is paying attention.
Doubt it sounds like they want cassie..if its cassie and all that then id say heck no.
Marlins probably want Juan Tomas.
Out of the Cubs top ten current prospects 8 of them have an ETA of 2026. This is always an issue with win now teams who are trying to develop young talent at the same time. You can’t give all those guys a chance to prove they are legit while still winning games because some are going to fail.
The trade makes sense on the surface. Let’s see who is involved. I bet the Marlins are getting ready to play players in the deal for the most part.
Don’t let it be Caissie
Makes sense doubt marlins gjve a talented pitcher..without getting at least one player who they feel can compete on day one for a starting spot
There were stories the Yankees were close to a trade for Cabrera. There were even prospect names included. I knew that was immediately false. The Yankees don’t leak stories. That leak was coming from the Marlins to make it known there were many teams in on Cabrera and to up the prospect price for whichever team acquired him. That team is the Cubs.
Cubs fans irate when Hoyer doesn’t make move. Cubs fans irate when Hoyer makes move. Meanwhile Jed Hoyer “spanking it”
It’s going to be a mistake trading Caissie, especially when after this season the only outfielder we have under contract is PCA.
If the Cubs biggest piece is Caissie I like this deal. If he isn’t involved and it is guys on the level of Alcantra I really like the deal for the Cubs. Resigning Tucker would be huge. The big flaw with the Cubs is they don’t have a true ace. A lot of good arms. Horton has growth but not sure if he is that guy. If they had a healthy Steele they would be in a better position. He just can’t stay healthy.
Steele will be back in May/June. I don’t think it’ll be after the all Star break because he didn’t have full blown TJS
Marlins piling up AJ Preller draftees
Cabrera really isn’t that special, so getting any valuable prospects back is a win. Pitched over 100 innings once, FIP and xFIP around 4 most of his career, doesn’t limit hard contact, doesn’t miss bats at a high level. Unless he’s suddenly going to come into his own, the cubs are buying on potential with some hope of staying healthy.
Isn’t that what the Marlins doing too? Caissie is no lock. You Yankee fans ruin everything. lol.
Definitely not a yankee fan, and yeah, agree prospects are far from a lock.
If its caissie or ballesteros
This is a bad move for cubs
Brilliant for marlins
Remove “top prospect” and he’s a .240, 22HR, 60RBIs and 170ks corner outfielder. You can replace that fairly easily.
I think he’s got potential to be a star like pete armstrong
If anyone’s “replaceable” its cabrera
You’re overvaluing Caissie. There’s too much swing and miss to his game. Quality controllable starting pitching is very hard to get. There are about 5 teams begging you to take an OF off their hands that will give you similar production. Boston, Philadelphia. Etc.
High K rate and mediocre defense. Definitely not a slam dunk.
yea you’re right
elly de la cruz has always had a high K rate too. reds should trade him for Mitch Keller
Haha. You are comparing Owen Caissie (27 PA) big lumbering corner outfielder to elly. My word people are delusional.
Thank you!! I’m so sick and tired of everyone mentioning players suck because they K a lot . Their early careers. Dude, every Marlins player breakdown is “weak D high K rate”.
Ethan Holliday strikeout like 35% of the time and he’s a top 25 prospect.
He’s comparing the K rate. He never compared Caisse to Elly. And who’s to say Caisse won’t be great?
Medicals are typically a formality, something the team doctors look over for an hour or two at most and then the deal is done. If a deal was imminent then that would have been moved past in a couple of hours, not a full day. Because of that, there must be issues with this one.
Remember that Banned guy saying the Marlins didn’t need or want an OF? If Cassie is indeed part of the trade, then apparently they do.
My guess is Caissie, Ramirez, and Wicks/Brown. Hate to see ONKC go man
Ben Brown an interesting return for the Marlins.
Cassie
Brown
Kipp
Florentino
would be a good trade for Miami. Id still question it, I think the Marlins can win this year but Brown flashes some potential at times and has had some success in MLB.
Dont like the trade for the Marlins – the Dominicans must be good ball players because Cassie is a windmill.
Could have squeezed Grant Kipp in and that would have made it more palatable. Kipp is going to be a good pitcher when he gets his opportunity.
Nobody cares about strikeouts anymore. Hernandez is like the 6th best SS in the Cubs system with Swanson signed til 29. I’ve never even heard of the other guy but I’m guessing he has a big arm but he must still be in Rookie ball because I’ve never seen him and I get the Minor League package every year. As far as I’m concerned you could have had Kipp because I don’t care much for anything Callis and his weird friends say about the Cubs system. I like Noland and Sanders better than Kipp.
@Mike Id say your Cubs really got a nice deal — Cubs fans going to like Cabrera, he is a little light mentally – has a temper and gets rattled but he turned the corner on that last season. When he gets the mental game down, if his arm is strong, he is as good of a pitcher as anybody in MLB, best stuff of any RH starter in the league, I believe that about him.
Ive liked Kipp since last season, he has a tight slider and could surprise if he gets a shot. Straight A student, good pitcher.
The only time K’s matter it seems is when you’re a Marlin lol go to Rotoworld. That’s all they spew.
Caissie and for that matter Cabrera are prospects although may be good but are just prospects so the real need for cubbies are pitching so they needed to make move now. Hope it works out for both!
Cabrera is in no way just a prospect. He’s a middle rotation major leaguer with the stuff to be an ace. And young and cheap. Easy win for ChiCubs here.
All five of the Marlins fans are waiting with bated breath to see who they got!
These jokes weren’t funny in 1993 and they’re not funny now. Grown men and women going to comment sections to spew elementary “jokes” with no constructive conversation. Shocker!!! Lol. It’s old brah.
Close to finalizing a deal. They will get this close and nothing will happen. I will believe it when I see it
Cristian Hernandez is likely part of the deal too.
x.com/i/status/2009004402200465517
Don’t know if this guy is a legit source
Appalling if we lose our future right field Canadian slugger because Jed was too stupid to sign Imai or another suitable SP for a few more dollars. Pathetic and he’ll regret it. I’m already regretting it and it’s not even finalized. Hoping Cabrera fails the physical.
Remove “top prospect” from the mix. Would you be happy with a .240, 22 HR 60 RBI, 170ks corner outfielder? That’s what they have up.
You realize Jed and Carter work within the confines of what the Ricketts let them right? They aren’t going over the luxury tax.
As a Marlins fan, I’ve been cool with the stuff they’ve done so far, but this makes absolutely no sense, and is more of what they would have done in the past, and not like how they’ve operated under Bendix. If anything, they need arms themselves, but if you are moving any of theor own arms, like Cabrera or Sandy, it would have made exponentially more sense to let him add value in the first half of the season. Of all the times they wait too long to move someone, this is when they decide to try to grt value while they can…
Except they trade for a high risk, low floor OFer they dont need. Marlins could use a Right Handed bat they could easily just sign, another bullpen arm, and another SP to give them innings (so I guess now they could use 2 SPs)
I have no idea what they’re doing here….Hopefully the return is a lot more than just Owen Caissie, but asset management is still never a thought for the Marlins, even with Bendix doing a relatively good job in general
As I posted above. SS prospect Cristian Hernandez is also going to Miami but he’s not close to ready. 3-4 years tbh
The Marlins continuously go after this exact same player over and over and over again, in addition to the 17 of them they currently have in the organization; its wild. Its 3 different regimes over 10+ years doing the exact same thing, bringing in as much redundancy as possible woth as many 2nd baseman as possible….
I am convinced Bendix is trolling with the 2nd baseman now
@formerlyz
On the surface, it seems like it makes no sense for the Marlins for sure, but this is what seems to be happening here.
First, we know that Bendix has been enamoured with Caissie for a while now. That plays into it. He got someone he’s wanted.
Also, Bendix following through with trading Cabrera tells me what I suspected when the rumors continued – Bendix isn’t sold on Cabrera, so he’s cashing in that chip at what he feels will be Cabrera’s highest value.
Thirdly, I think this also points to the talk about Conine moving to 1B wasn’t just talk Looks like he’s headed there for real. And this makes one wonder if this means that Morel will be pivoting back and forth between 1B and 3B…essentially having ramifications on both Norby and Pauley if they don’t look good this Spring.
Curious trade indeed. Maybe the above is the case…or maybe there’s something else brewing? As all of us Marlins fans know, they need a RH power bat. And they need LH relievers – with one being able to handle high leverage. I wonder if this is setting up something else.
The Marlins lose every single trade. Only recently they maybe started at least being somewhat 2 sided, but asset management has been non existant for the Marlins for like 20 years. Historically they like a player, and will do literally anything and everything to get that player, asset management out the window; so if they like Owen Caissie, they’ll give up anything they need tp to get him; if you’re trying to add other pieces, they’re like, ya, sure, w/e, cool, without even listening, as they walk away happy with the player they wanted
The timing makes a lot of sense actually. He’s been on the IL in the 1st half of every season since 2022, all related to his throwing arm:
April 2022: bicep
June 2023: shoulder
March 2024: shoulder
March 2025: blister
So there’s a very real possibility that instead of adding value beyond where it is now, he’s hurt. And they got a good package for him imho given the lengthy injury history.
Edit: I’ll agree with you re: Bendix. I think Marlins fans are in good hands.
Probably could have got Yandy Diaz off of Tampa and made a run at a WS this year. I dont know what Miami is thinking?
Kemp Alderman looks like he is a better athlete than Cassie, similar power profile albeit from the RH side, and they just added Ruiz who could start this year.
Cabrera is elite, legitimate 1/2 potential.
I was sort of excited about the Marlins competing for the division this season but Cabrera was a big part of that equation.
Marlins befuddle me, they have Aiva Arquette and Staryln Caba on the farm, Cristian Hernandez could be a good prospect but they have a good enough team this season to win and they cashed on a player who could be there best starting pitcher for a player (Cassie) they already have on the farm (Alderman) and two rookie ball prospects from the DR?
Do you really need a lefty bat in the lineup that badly?
@No ABS in ’27
I love the Marlins, but we were not competing for the division with the Phillies. We are a Wild Card contender.
As for this trade, Bendix has been enamoured with Caissie for a while now. This is a combination of that, and maybe a part of it where he’s not convinced about Cabrera, so he’s cashing in that chip at what he feels may be Cabrera’s highest value. We’ll see if that is the case.
Obviously the Marlins still need a RH power bat and some LH relief help. Maybe this sets something else up?
In my opinion Marlins had the best rotstion in MLB with Alcantara, Cabrera, Perez and Weathers. Lost Henriquez that one hurt but added Fairbanks and Ruiz, bullpen was pretty solid.
Snelling and/or White must be close but this is an all-time bad trade if you ask me. This one goes down in history.
How so? Bendix got a guy he’s been enamoured with.
Also, I don’t think this comes close to the two classics that Mike Hill did – Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers; and later on, Yelich to the Brewers.
Maybe they’ll get lucky, and multiple arms magically stay healthy for once, but I am really tired of everyone pretending pitching is some sort of strength the Marlins have some massive abundance of, that they can trade from, when 2 injuries, a guy falling off, and all of the sudden, you have zero depth, as I have said over and over, and has come to fruition over and over
Marlins needed an arm or 2 befoee trading Cabrera; now they definitely do. O thought they had an outside shot at being very interesting thos year, but now I am not so sure b/c the pitching is basically relying on hope it works out
Seems like the Marlins want to hit a lot of solo HRs thos year though, b/c that apparently matters more than winning
“Nearing a trade”. No trade yet.
Compared to what TB got for Baz, that return looks hella light. I think the Cubs may have fleeced them here.
Hard to believe the fish couldn’t get a better offer for Cabrera I imagine there were many other interested teams.
Yeah, a win for the Cubs. Well, you can’t grade trades yet, and I’ve not heard of these other prospects, but since they are Cubs prospects, they are probably good.
True, it will take a couple years to see how everything pans out but it just seems like the secondary pieces should have been better than what they got.
The Marlins lose every single trade. Only recently they maybe started at least being somewhat 2 sided, but asset management has been non existant for the Marlins for like 20 years. Historically they like a player, and will do literally anything and everything to get that player, asset management out the window; so if they like Owen Caissie, they’ll give up anything they need tp to get him; if you’re trying to add other pieces, they’re like, ya, sure, w/e, cool, without even listening, as they walk away happy with the player they wanted
Hernandez is a decent prospect 11-15 on most sites in Cubs rankings. He stole 52 bags last year but is already 22 and still probably 2-3 years away.
Hernandez had no shot to be a Cub and quite frankly I’ve never even heard of the other guy. It’s basically Caissie for Cabrera. As long as Cabrera’s arm doesn’t fall off then it seems fair. Cubs get a TOR controllable arm and the Marlins get a RF. Not a bad move. Stay tuned.
Christian Hernandez had to repeat low A and hasn’t hit all that well at high A. Sure he can steal bases and play defense but his value is mostly overhyped since he was a big bonus baby
Hate giving up ONKC and I liked Cristian Hernandez but you gotta trade good for good. That’s just the game works .
I can’t believe the Yankees weren’t able to get Cabrera for their “prospects”.
Marlins got Cassie, the Cubs #11 prospect in Hernandez, and a lottery ticket outside the Cubs top 30. Other than Cassie instead of Alcantara, I got that one right.
ALL of the prospects are at positions that BannedforaReason said the Marlins absolutely didn’t need or want. You have to wonder how he feels knowing he was wrong about everything?
Probably wondering why Bendix keeps trading for the exact same player over and over and over again, wondering why they needed another all or nothing left handed bat in the OF, and where innings will come from this year, unless you’re relying on Sandy coming off a year removed from coming back from TJ, multiple other pitchers coming off multiple injuries, and multiple young arms that dont even have that many innings in the minor leagues…
@Skip’s Fungo
FYI – Caissie was the Cubs #1 prospect. Know the facts and don’t make stuff up. It was the second player in the deal that was the Cubs #11 prospect.
And as this trade proves, none of the garbage trade suggestions that were posted were even close.
Now the facts are that the Marlins did get another LH bat that they don’t need, which still leaves them with needing a RH bat. However, us Marlins fans knew that Bendix had been after Caissie for a while now. That’s the only logic I see there.
And this trade shows what I stated yesterday about the “writers” and “reporters” who have the sources to know what the Marlins were seeking, but chose to not mention it so they can have a free for all of bonehead trade suggestions on the posts. Now they are all actually revealing what they already knew that they didn’t reveal regarding the Marlins – because having made it clear what the Marlins demanded didn’t fall into their fictional narratives. They knew that, when it came to the Cubs, the Marlins were looking at Caissie because they’ve known from past rumors that Bendix has eyed Caissie before.
But back to your post – nice failed attempt at trying to distort the facts about what the Marlins got in getting the Cubs #1 prospect in your efforts to try to pretend that this compares to the garbage that was being posted over and over and over as the “writers/reporters” chose to not reveal what they really knew from their sources as they continued in their slow-news-day clickbait efforts to trigger ridiculous discussions in the article posts.
What does his being their #1 prospect have to do with the fact that he is an OF and you said the Marlins absolutely would not trade for an OF?
I posted almost exactly this with the only change being Caissie instead of Alcantara. I even called that the other two would be infielders.
You said that the Marlins would not trade for infielders because they had great ones. That was hilarious then and its even funnier that you are trying to spin off that position now.
Delusional thy name is Banned (forbeinganargumentativefool).
What was the garbage trade you mentioned again? Let’s compare it to this one.
I said Alcantara as the headliner. You said the Marlins absolutely would not trade for an OF. Caissie is an OF prospect.
I said a mid-level prospect. An infielder. You said the Marlins absolutely did not need any infielders. Hernandez is an infielder.
I said a lottery ticket prospect. You said the Marlins were looking to contend in 2026 and didn’t want or need prospects.
I got it right although Caissie is a little better than Alcantara, but not by much. 55FV vs 50 FV.
I said by trading Cabrera the Marlins were continuing their rebuild. I was right.
I am going to go out on a very sturdy limb and predict that Alcantara will be traded at the deadline if he pitches to even a 4.00 ERA in the first half of 2026 and Fairbanks will be gone then as well.
Now you’re twisting your narrative to serve you.
Obviously Bendix went with what was unexpected because he was able to get a guy that he has been eyeing for a while now. Also, Caissie is playing this year and fits the Marlins goals for this year. Apparently it seems that Conine will be the guy moving to the infield to fill a need we have there. So, I was correct about our needs, and this trade filled part of it – although a LH bat when we need a RH bat.
The Marlins are not continuing their rebuild as this trade gets them a piece for this year. They are not in the teardown you tried to paint it as. This is a move that is their next step of trying to contend now…just as I stated. Stop twisting facts.
We’ll see how the season goes this year and heading into the deadline. I imagine, and can get it from your personality, if the Marlins contend, and they don’t trade Sandy or Fairbanks, you’ll do what every guy I’ve encountered like you in the past have done, and you’ll disappear. I’m going out on a sturdy limb in making that prediction.
I am repeating what I said and what you said. No twisting necessary on my part. That is what you do. I missed on which Cubs OF would be in the trade and got the rest right. You got all of it wrong.
Remember when you said the only thing that mattered was winning games. Then I pointed out the Mets won more games and suddenly winning games was not the most important thing, it was runs scored.
As rosters stand today, the Mets are 16+ WAR better than the Marlins. Don’t even try to spin it and say but the Marlins had this guy injured or that guy injured. So did the Mets.
As of today the Mets are better. Much better.
Again, you are twisting it…and have extended it to the runs thing and wins. I won’t back down from either, so I will repeat it in a more elementary way that seems to be a problem here with you, so you can either not twist it or you can comprehend it if you don’t.
I clearly stated in every single game, the team that scores the most runs is the team that wins the game. I don’t care if within that one game what other stats say who was the team that “played better”. The fact is the team that scored the most runs for that game, won the game…period. And through the course of the season, you try to win (or score more runs in every single game than your opponent) enough games to be ahead of teams in the standings.
With wins during a season, that is what matters. I repeat, you are what your record says you are. League standings and playoff placement are not decided by WAR or any other stat except by who won more games. You can say the Mets had ‘blah blah’ WAR that is ‘blah blah’ WAR higher than the Marlins. The only number that counts was the 4-game difference of wins…period. When this season comes and is played, it will be like every season in MLB history before it, and standings placement will be by who has the better W-L record…not WAR or any other fodder-seeking stat that have nothing to do with the final results of who won the game by scoring more runs than the opponent in every single game played.
If you can’t comprehend that, or just want to continue twisting this, then I’m done because you are either an idiot that can’t comprehend or you’re just trolling at this point. I’m not dealing with either.
We get it dude. You almost predicted the trade right.
It appears that you’re living rent-free inside Skip’s head,
Yeah, you’re repeating it. Over and over and over……
Skip and Banned
I think Banned misread your comma. You both agree Owen was number one and Christian number eleven
Wow, Cubs got absolutely fleeced here.
Models are calling it a modest underpay, but nice try
Which models, and what are they wearing?
No they didn’t. For 1. Hernandez is 3-4 years away not sure about the 3rd player but you can’t even judge this trade until all parties make the show. Cabrera is controlled for 3 years.
If Hernandez ever makes it to the majors I’d be surprised
If he does, I don’t think it’ll be with Miami.
Learn baseball bro
Horrible overpay. Cabrera is weak and made of glass. He will never be a solid and dependable starting pitcher.
97ph four seamer. 96 mph sinker. 92 mph changeup. 88 mph slider. 82 mph curveball.
The Whiff rates on both his breaking balls is around 45% — the movement on his four seamer is as wicked as any heater in MLB, two looks to the fastball with a good sinker and his changeup has become his most relied on pitch.
This one doesn’t make any sense and I am disappointed that the Marlins traded him and for what they got in return, I can’t make sense of it. Sad day for Miami fans.
He was in the 78th percentile in whiff rates overall. Good, not great.
Stuff does not equal results as he has proven.
So a top 100 prospect in the 40-50 range, a former top 100 prospect moving backwards, and a 18 year old lottery ticket. Meanwhile people were saying multiple top 100 prospects would be the price. Looks like the ‘experts’ here were wrong again.
As the saying goes “Talking heads always talking s***”
I thought it would take Hess, Lagrange, Hampton and Dominguez. I don’t know why the Marlins make this trade for a potential #2 with 3 years of control. They’re a pathetic franchise and I feel sorry for Fish fans.
@Wrian
I think you seriously undervalued Dominguez. He would be a mlb starting OF for a lot of teams.
Dominguez would be a starter on most teams because of his former prospect pedigree and age. But he was not impressive last year at all. Poor defense, lack of power and really struggled against lefties. I’m not sure he holds the same appeal to other teams. I would think a top 50 prospect is worth more than Jdom
Have you seen him play defense? He’s the next Castellanos. He’s no OF.
I thought it would take a similar return too, Hess, LaGrange and Dominguez would have been far better than what the Fish got from the Cubs.
I am not a talking head type expert and I got it just about right. I thought it would be Alcantara, not Caissie. I said that beyond the headliner OF they would get a mid level prospect which is what Hernandez is now, and a lottery ticket in complex league ball that is outside the Cubs top 30.
I think Hernandez has found his level of incompetence in A+ ball. It was his 2nd season there and his hitting is still below Midwest League average and his defense regressed. I don’t think he ever becomes a major league player.
@Skip: You’re one of the few who got it right. The Cabrera thread from a few days ago had some insane proposals.
I was worried that it would be Caissie and Kevin Alcantara. Agustin Tamirez’ inability to catch saved Mo Baller, cuz they can’t both DH for Fish
If Cabrera stays healthy, Jed just STOLE this deal.
And is Caisse and the other 2 solid prospects work out it was a good deal for both, lol. EdCab, as a Marlins fan, is as bad until he gos traded to the Cubs. The Marlins get no love no matter what they do.
Seems like a big return for the Marlins, but remember, folks, prospects are unproven. How many top prospects, even guys in the top 5-10, have come up and just fizzled? Cubs might be on the short end of this one; certainly not guaranteed, though.
We can say this for every single player for prospect trade, not just when Marlins make trades for Prospects lol. It’s an easy scapegoat right when a big trade for prospects happens.
Player goes for prospects, on a few years we find out if the big player is a superstar and beyond and if the prospects become stars/superatars.
Bahahahahah cubs traded their best prospect and more for an injury prone starter.. this is comical.
You are clueless
How old are you? 7?
I’d say both parties did well here. Cabrera was always going to command this type of package. A very good MLB ready prospect and two lesser ones. I’ve said that ad nauseam about him when the Yanks were involved. I’m hearing it was never close there. I wonder which party held up.
Welp
The Mets and Yankees offers must have really been low in value, because this one is underwhelming for the Fish, and I am not even sold on Cabrera.
If anything this may have dampened values on the market for some of the “available” pitchers.
Good risk for the Cubs who are deep in OF prospects, and have several cheap options on the market if they wanted to bridge to them.
Easy Cubs win. You have no idea what you’re talking about. Yes, it’s a pitcher and pitchers can break, and Caissie could become a superstar, but 100/100 major league front office executives outside Miami will tell you the Cubs got the best of this.
I’m pretty sure I said that.
We can disagree about Cabrera without getting hostile right? I am sure you might disagree with my suppositions about Senga and Manea right.
That’s what jdawg said. He said the Cubs won the trade. What’s the problem?
You may not particularly like Caissie as a prospect but would Cabrera really fetch higher than a global top 50 prospect? Cabrera certainly has his flaws. Injury prone and just topped his career high in innings (137) by 40%. If he didn’t have those warts then 3 years of control will cost a heck of a lot more than a top 50 prospect.
Re: the Yankees; yeah Cashman probably balked at Spencer Jones being included. Meanwhile he’s barely a top 100 prospect now…
Cant believe im going say this..but i think jed did well…there is risk of injury with cabera..but other then cassie..its kinds a crapshoot..hernandez wasnt in the cubs near future and de leon who knows what he is at this point..but also wasnt going help the cubs anytime soon..for the marlins cassie is a nice add and the other two might become somwthing down the road..but for who helped themselves in the here and now i think its the cubs ..of course as long as cabera can stay healthy..as a cubs fan im good with this the risk is worth the potental reward in terms of what they gave up
Pickle Juice > Blisters Ask Greg Maddux
Let’s go!!!!
Thought Cabrera would go to the Yanks and Alcantara headed to Cubs. Maybe the opposite occurs.
The constantly rebuilding Marlins selling valuable assets for a bag of baseballs, juxtaposed to the juggernaut “I’ll buy the entire league and you’ll STFU about it” Dodgers speaks volumes to the health of the sport. It’s sad. It’s pathetic. This next CBA is going to be critical and I hope it shuts the sport down for a season until this league resembles anything close to a fair competitive product across the board. Gimme the salary cap and floor.
I’m with you on the cap and floor. I’m all for capitalism for the owners, and for the players… give equally to each player, give league minimum to all but one big fish.. i don’t care… but please lets have a cap.. put regular increases built in or whatever , but not having the same payroll is as ludicrous to me as not having the same number of players, or having to play by the same rules . Make it a level playing field.
Baseball has never had a level playing field. From the 1920’s into the 1960’s the Yankees had a dynasty far superior to anything you’ll see today. It’s not a problem. Having a great team or two is a good thing.
Cubs will try anything to give the division a shot this year. Now they have to sign Tucker. Meanwhile us Champs to the North see this as a win for us if we trade Peralta. I guess I should thank the FIBs for raising the trade market stakes for the best right-handed starter still available this off-season.
Champs of what? Talking crap in Cubs articles?
I’m sorry, we didn’t win the division and kick the Cubs out of the playoffs (again) last season? It’s an article about the trade market. My comment is centered around that. Don’t get your Baby Bear panties all in a bunch.
Thank you for proving my point of trolling Cubs articles.
I do believe you are trolling me but whatever floats your boat. Enjoy coming in second place or worse again this year.
Losing Caissie, does suck, but the Cubs aren’t going to get Cabrera without giving up a big prospect. I feel Seiya in RF and Ballestaros at DH works. Spring training isn’t that far away.
Go Cubs!
BTV says the Cubs win this one
Win win fair trade. All the prospects have a high ceiling but a solid floor as average players. Smart move by Miami. Chicago maybe doesn’t believe in these prospects becoming anything great. Rather be Boston getting Oviedo or Houston Burrows. Think they did better. Cassie may strike out too much though and Cubs get a starting pitcher for cheap.
Do the Cubs really have DEEP rotation? None of those guys seems like an ace except maybe Steele who wont be there to start the season. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. An aging Boyd and Taillon just doesnt impress me too much.
Cade Horton that is also an ace type. Look at his 2nd half stats last year before missing his last start of the year. He was filthy. He rivaled 2014 Jake Arrieta for one of the best performances in baseball history for a second half, and he was only a rookie. He should be supremely confident out of the gate in 2026 and could be one of the best starters in baseball.
The MASN crew misses you…here are FanGraph’s power ratings for the current five SPs for the Cubs:
Boyd 25
Cabrera 48
Imanaga 62
Taillon 65
Horton 74
Seems like a strong starting 5, not sure if it’s all caps deep, but 99% of fans would be pretty darn satisfied with that rotation
Figures that hoyer would overpay because he’s desperate and the marlins and the rest knew it!
lol you are just hating. Giving up a prospect like Caissie for an arm like Cabrera is normal and expected. This trade isn’t bad on the Cubs side at all
Funny.
It might not work
But have to give it to
Jeb -its Owen for Cabrera with a couple of suspects
Just don’t buy that the Marlins are really close to contention. They had an -89 run diff in 2025 and needed a lot of luck to get to even 79 wins. None of their moves in the offseason, including this trade, seem to move them closer to the playoffs.
This trade removes the Marlins best starter. The guy who contributed >half of the WAR for that rotation. They added a guy who is an all or nothing type LHB and whose ceiling is 3 WAR in RF. Stowers-lite.
Skip
Eury was best starter, Cabrera was second, but has nasty home and away splits
And last season is last season as next is next. Lol. Eury is gonna take steps forward, we get Braxton Back, Meyer, Weathers, Sandy, all healthy, and Snelling, White Dax. EdCab wasn’t good up until he got traded to the Cubs anyways. I’m kidding of course.
Caissie is the centerpiece of this deal for the Marlins. Return seems kind of light but i guess it’s good for the Cubs that they didn’t have to trade any young arms
Nice pickup for the Cubs. Fans should be happy.
Good deal for Miami. Added bats and didn’t really dent their rotation.
Didn’t dent their rotation? They just gave up the best starter on the team last season. A guy that had >half the WAR for the rotation.
Ryan Weathera
Sandy Alcantara
Max Meyer
Eury Perez
Braxton Garrett
Thomas White
Robby Snelling
Noble Meyer
Dax Fulton
How is their rotation dented?
They have other qualified candidates, and the 100 innings or so they’d get out if Cabrera will only hurt his value next year and his price goes up. If you are on the IL, you don’t have much value. My guess is that the marlins knew his elbow was about to blow and cashed him in. Good move. Now the cubs will need a bat and another arm to boot.
I am NOT happy to lose Owen Caissie in this trade, but will forgive Jed and the FO if they now sign one of Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger or Alex Bregman in free agency. Preferably Tucker or Bellinger to replace what we lost in Caissie. This seems very similar to when we lost Rafael Palmeiro after he had some early success with the Cubs and they traded him off before all those productive years in his career. I just love Caissie’s swing and the easy power the opposite way. The kid is going to be a star…just not in Chicago. This is not to say Im not excited about the upside of Cabrera. His arm is electric, but has tell tale signs of needing Tommy John surgery sometime soon. That said, he has Cy Young type stuff. This is a big gamble and I just hope it pays off for Chicago.
Cassie and a lottery ticket for a good SP with 3 years control should get the Fish GM fired yesterday
They should have emptied the Cub’s top 10 prospect pool. 🤷♂️
If they trade Sandy, they better get a king’s ransom. This is not a great return. Good? Sure, but not great.
What? Lol. The Marlins could have received Wiggins, Moises, Caisse, and Alcantara and I’m sure you’d say the same. This is a good trade for both sides, but most can’t commend the Marlins for anything.
I think Moises + Caisse would have been a great haul for them. The Marlins have an abysmal track history with roi on trades. If Caisse doesn’t turn into a star, this will add to the list.
I agree, but times are changing and they’re really doing a good job with trades and developing: Marsee, Stowers, Norby, Weathers, etc. and they have guys who are really doing well year after year in the Minors like Kemp, Milbrandt, Trimble, Mack, etc.
This is only good if we sign bellinger or bregman
I like what the Marlins got back. They did very well IMO.
The two big winners in this trade are Kevin Alcantara and Moises Ballesteros.
The Cubs chose Ballesteros over Caissie at the DH position and Alcantara over Caissie as the fourth outfielder probably because he hits right handed and has more defensive flexibility.
To truth of the matter is that Caissie was not getting at bats ahead of Seiya and not getting at bats in front of Moises.
So the Cubs actually gave up very little potential production for a starting pitcher.
Not knowing much about the Marlins depth chart I am guessing Caissie is going to get a much better major league chance there.
He will be starting in right field
Cubs have a hell of a staff. And Steele comes back mid season (a less obvious plan than Blake Snell 2025). They still need a bat, but the Cubbies are into run prevention big time.
The Cubs needed pitching and not a RF. They are better today than yesterday. Caissie becoming an all star requires a lot of stars to align (opportunity to play, lowering strikeouts, adjusting to the majors, etc.), so I’d rather take my chance in the area we need help. Plus, it doesn’t impact their finances so hope they plan to spend now… but I think I know the answer to that.
I’ve been seeing a lot of cubs fans posts on social media that you are going to put him in your pitching lab and make him even better
1) Lol at you thinking you are going to make a pitcher better than the Marlins did. Who actually have a “pitching lab” and produce pitcher after pitcher.
2) Lol at thinking your 20th in FIP, 18th in xFIP, 19th in WAR pitching staff is worthy of even talking about
The Cubs have had a pitching lab in Arizona for years. They have been picking up guys for years and adding 3-5 MPH on their Fastballs. The Cubs bullpen last year was basically P/U’s from other teams who were going nowhere and were one of the best bullpens in baseball in the 2nd half. I don’t know what drugs you take but you need to back off for a bit and get some help. Hottovy is one of the best Pitching Coaches in baseball and I have no doubt if Cabrera’s healthy he’ll be better than he ever would with the Marlins. You need a nap.
No one cares about your bottom 3rd pitching lab/staff. Have fun competing with the rockies, angels, nationals, athletics, whitesox pitching again.
Nobody cares about your last place team and they will be last again this year. You can’t count on Acuna tearing his ACL every year poser. Your GM just threw in he towel on competing in that division again this year and when Alcantara goes it will be even sadder. Look up from the bottom again, It’s what they’re good at. LMAO
Ah somebody is butt hurt
Yeah most Marlins fans are.
Lol not a miami fan. Very likely chance cubs miss playoffs and sell into 2027 lockout.
Uncle
Fish could do better than Mets or Nats and be 0.500. But Bokok is just a troll
I heard on Mets Hot Stove that they backed off because the Marlins were privately concerned about Cabrera’s elbow.
Makes sense. Probably his peak value after a career year. Miami get rid of him before he gets hurt again.
Something is wrong with Cabrera maybe injury concern. His trade price was too low. Marlins return is weak
YellowCleats: Not if they’re right about his elbow.
Yellow
That is what everyone said when they traded Luzardo, truth is none of us bloggers know
How is a top of the line prospect and 2 solid young prospects a low return? The Marlins can never do right huh? Lol. I’m sure if they got Moises too you’d say we got “fleeced”.
A Chris Berman perspective on Hoyer and his trade ability: “He’s stumbling, tumbling and MAJORILY BUMBLING on these trades… WHOOP!”.
kptrojans: “Rumbling, bumbling, stumbling” is the classic Berman line.
I like the move. I was hoping for Framber Valdez but tgisxisxfibw with me. Now let’s see the organization spend money on Bichette!. Yeah right …..
As many have said, seems like the Cubbies got him cheap. caissie may turn out to be something but is still a suspect in the major league level. At any rate it still seems like the Cubs did well in this one.
He’s had like 25 ABs lol. Ethan Holidays K’s like 35% of the time but nobody talks about that. It always seems to be Marlins players that that gets mentioned. It’s a fair trade. I was honest frustrated over the Luzardo trade, at the moment this is fair… as a Marlins fan.
I do like Caba though lol.
As much as I like Caissie he possibly wasn’t going to get playing time anytime soon. With the current lineup I’d deal with Suzuki in right and get Moises ABs at DH. But I think there were better targets than Cabrera. Big upside, but big injury risk.
December 2020 the Cubs trade Yu Darvish for Owen Cassie. For five years we heard how great this kid‘s going to be. He had a little taste of the major leagues last year and 2026 was going to be his breakout season. Before that happens, the Cubs trade him for a pitcher with a history of injuries. Instead of a signing a free agent pitcher and keeping Cassie the Cubs who may be weak on offense this year trade Cassie for an oft injured pitcher. I would say it’s unbelievable but nothing this organization does is unbelievable anymore.
Caissie is a corner outfielder and they wanted pitching. Cubs outfield is full short term if they want DH open for Ballesteros. I wouldn’t be surprised if part of the bet here is to flip Cabrera eventually.
The choices were to give at bats to Caissie or Ballesteros.
NO
Dagnabbit! I was hoping it would be the Giants to land that fish. :\
Ramos
No, the price might have been Heliot!
I doubt that lol. He’s the only All Star OF currently on the team, and they already have a huge, (Tucker sized?), hole in RF.
I hate it, but I also understand it. Farewell Eddy, you’ll be missed in Miami.
Good for the Cubbies. Maybe they finish one game ahead of the Reds but probably not. Still 5-8 games behind the Brew Crew at the end of the regular season.
its a high risk move to trade for cabrera but given that cubs are “comfortable” with the medicals & he has 3 years of control
cassie is semi expendable given they are likely in the bellinger/tucker market and they have FA in happ, suzuki next year
I love the reactions. Cubs fans nutting over Cassie for years, now that he’s gone Cubs fleeced the Marlins and Cassie isn’t that good, lol. They’re Prospects, any prospect can be a bust. Kelenic and Moncado come to mind. Top prospect, pretty much busts. No matter what the Marlins do they’ll get panned regardless. No matter what they do (they’ve done a lot of bad), they will never get their due when they deserve it. If we’re comparing contrasting to the Baz trade, we got the best of all the PROSPECTS, key word, and 2 solid potential good prospects, so just cause you get 1 less player doesn’t mean it’s a bad trade. Cubs got a fantastic arm with Ace potential, Marlins got a potential power hitting beast in Cassie. Great trade, no matter what.
I went back to the Ozuna for Sandy and Gallen trade and the comments here were the same. Marlins got fleeced. Lol. We’ll see what happens.
Seems that fans of both teams are.divided on how each did. Must be a fair trade.
It will be fascinating to follow this through the years and compare to the Shane Baz trade. For how bang on similar these two pitchers are including remaining team control the returns couldn’t be more different.
Lol, read my comment exactly above yours. Too funny. How is Baz’ return better? Cassie is the best overall prospect of all the players moving between the 2 separate trades RIGHT NOW. Anything can happen. It’s apples to oranges. There are dozens of player for prospect trades, every team is different. Every need is different. Just because 1 team gets 4 for 1 and another 3 for 1 doesn’t mean the 4 for 1 won the trade. Marlins got the best prospect between all 7 players. Time will tell.
Cubs reinforcing their rotation makes it less likely that the Brewers trade Peralta, unless the offer is irresistible.
:\
Does this move Suzuki back to RF? Really makes you wonder what the outfield will look like beyond PCA after 2026 when Happ and Suzuki’s contracts are up. I don’t expect either to be extended, so I’m not a fan of including Cassie here. Last chance to flip him as a lottery ticket, but he was so close to slotting in with the big league club. Somebody tell me this is fine lol…
Sounds like you are as concerned about 2032 as your front office is.
Didn’t know that looking 1 year past the upcoming season was 2032. TIL…
That’s it. Way to make me mad first thing in the morning. Including Cassie officially made this a bad day. Way to go Cubbies, give away your future players for someone whose track record is not a strong one.
Great trade for the Marlins. They’ve really built a strong OF. Cabrera has a lot of injury history. I’d rather have 6 years of Caissie than few more seasons of Cabrera getting about 100 innings a year.
For the Cubs this only make sense if they sign Tucker/Bellinger now.
The Cubs are going to cut Alcantara in ST; it’s a virtual certainty. I wish they’d do it now, so folks would stop spinning scenarios where he is on the roster this season.
I am wondering if this is a move to not have to pay arbitration salary of 8-9 m if it goes that far.
It would make some sense considering the refusal of the fish to adhere to revenue sharing guidelines after signing Fairbanks and Morel.
Scratch that. $4.5m projection. Fish payroll estimated at $79m, or $31m less than they are supposed to spend via CBA.
Soilid trade. I hate to lose Cassie but its the price of doing business. Hernandez has been in the system 4-5 years and still at High A ball. He might be a late bloomer but Rojas might be the SS of the future. I don’t know anything about the other guy.
Who do they sign next? Tucker or Belli? I don’t see them giving Bregman his contract. To many years and to much money.
Cubs are going to be that surprise off season team to watch. Bellinger? Tucker? Bichette? Bregman?
Maybe two of those guys?
But watch for Hoerner to be dealt.
I can see Bichette to Cubs.
Hoerner has one year left so I can see the Yanks and Cubs trade again and maybe Cubs asking price is Will Warren or Luis Gil. Yanks can’t send Jones or Dominguez because it seems based on Bellinger asking price they will need both. If the Yanks sign Belly then I can see a Dominguez getting traded to Cubs for Hoerner which I would partially hate because 1 year of Hoerner is not good enough to trade a kid whose ceiling isn’t close to be reached at 23yo if he reaches it.