The Chicago Cubs won 9-6 against the Mets on Tuesday night in New York. A good result. A needed result. And then Craig Counsell stepped up to the microphone after the game and reminded everyone that nothing comes easy for this rotation in 2026.
Edward Cabrera. Hamstring. IL. Again.
What Happened Out There
It was a scary moment in the fifth inning when Cabrera appeared to tweak his leg covering first base. He finished the inning but the body language said everything — and after the game Counsell confirmed what Cubs fans had been dreading since the moment it happened.
Cabrera is heading back to the injured list with a hamstring injury, with further imaging scheduled to determine the full extent of the damage. The official announcement was expected to follow on Wednesday morning.
This is his second IL stint of the 2026 season. The first came between late May and early June with a blister issue. A hamstring is a considerably more serious concern — and the MRI results will tell the full story of just how bad things actually are.
Why This One Stings More Than The Others
Because the Cubs didn’t just sign Cabrera off a waiver wire or pick him up on a minor league deal. They traded Owen Caissie — a highly touted prospect — to acquire him from the Marlins in the offseason. That’s a significant cost for a pitcher who, in fairness, has a lengthy injury history that almost certainly played into Miami’s willingness to move him in the first place.
On the season Cabrera carries a 5.21 ERA with 61 strikeouts across 67.1 innings and 13 starts. Not the numbers Chicago was hoping for when they gave up that kind of prospect capital. And now another trip to the IL raises uncomfortable questions about whether this rotation piece will ever deliver what the front office was counting on.
The Rotation Picture Is Getting Genuinely Alarming
Let’s take stock of where Chicago actually stands right now. Cade Horton is done for the year after Tommy John surgery. Matthew Boyd is facing his own setbacks and has barely pitched this season. Justin Steele — according to recent reports — will not return at all in 2026. Jameson Taillon is on the IL. And now Cabrera joins that list.
That’s essentially an entire starting rotation wiped out. Craig Counsell is being asked to piece together a pitching staff with whatever remains, and the answer to “who starts next” is becoming increasingly difficult to answer with any confidence.
What Comes Next
A corresponding roster move was expected on Wednesday ahead of the Cubs’ next game against the Mets. Chicago still hold legitimate playoff aspirations — they’re in the Wild Card picture and have shown throughout this season that they can win games when everything clicks.
But with their rotation in tatters and the trade deadline still over a month away, the pressure on Jed Hoyer to make a significant move has never been greater. The Cabrera news will only accelerate those conversations — expect the trade rumour mill to go into overdrive by Wednesday morning.
The Cubs won the game. They always seem to find a way. But right now the injury list is threatening to win the season. ⚾🔥
