The Yankees and Mets will need to look elsewhere to address their starting pitching needs.
The Chicago Cubs are closing in on a trade for Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera, according to Bleacher Nation and others.
Trade rumors connecting Cabrera to the Yankees and Mets had ramped up in recent days.
Cabrera, 27, went 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA and 150 strikeouts over a career-high 137.2 innings in 2025.
The five-year MLB veteran is projected to earn about $3.7 million in 2026 and has three years of team control remaining.
All of that made Cabrera an appealing trade target, even though injuries have hampered him throughout his career.
The Yankees and Mets have also been linked to Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, an impending free agent who went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA last year.
Free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez is also considered a possibility for the Mets.
The Yankees seek starting pitching depth because Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole are expected to miss Opening Day as they recover from elbow surgeries. Clarke Schmidt is further behind after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July.
As it stands now, the Yankees’ rotation features Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren and likely Ryan Yarbrough.
Earlier this week, manager Aaron Boone said he would be “very” comfortable if the Yankees opened the season with that starting staff.
“If we were able to add another pitcher to the mix and add to the depth — the old saying, ‘You can never have too much pitching’ — especially if you’re upgrading in certain situations,” Boone said on YES Network’s “Hot Stove” show.”
“But if we roll in with the guys you mentioned, I feel like we’ll be very competitive every single night based on our starting rotation, and then hopefully in short order, obviously, getting some big hammers back.”
The Mets, meanwhile, remain in the market for a front-line starter after last season’s rotation struggled down the stretch.
Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga and David Peterson remain under contract, as do promising rookies Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong.
