The Miami Marlins placed right-handed starting pitcher Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list on September 1 with a right elbow sprain. Cabrera is likely to undergo further evaluation, but with less than a month remaining on the Marlins’ schedule, he may miss the remainder of the regular season.
Miami is nine games behind the New York Mets for the third and final National League Wild Card spot, and last made the postseason in 2023. They are a much-improved team in 2025 and won eight consecutive games for the first time since 2008.
However, their pitching staff may suffer greatly without Cabrera in the rotation. The Marlins aim to play spoiler during September, and will rely on other starters like Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez.
Marlins’ Manager Speaks on Edward Cabrera’s Injury
As mentioned, the Marlins are a team with little to play for except pride in September. As of Tuesday morning, Baseball Reference gave them a 0.4 percent chance of securing a playoff berth.
Still, Cabrera was one of the club’s better pitchers in what should be seen as a year in which the organization made significant improvements. Mostly, it’s play on the field.
Cabrera, who has a 3.57 ERA and averages 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings this season, played a significant role in the Marlins’ development. He allowed five earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in four innings on Saturday in an 11-8 win against the Mets.
âAny time it’s a pitcher and it’s that part in the elbow, you have some concern,â Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola about Cabrera’s elbow sprain. âRight now, until we get just some more concrete info on what’s going on there, we’ll remain optimistic. So I guess that’s it right now: optimistic. But also, any time it’s elbow, shoulder, you hate to take your mind to a really bad place.â
Cabrera avoided the injured list in July after an MRI revealed posterior right elbow discomfort. Since debuting in Major League Baseball in 2021, he has started 85 games and already thrown 29 more innings than his previous career high of 99.2 in 2023.
Who Will Replace Edward Cabrera?
The Marlins have several options on the active roster to replace Cabrera in the rotation, and the NL East club recalled right-handers Luarbert Arias and Michael Petersen due to roster expansions on Monday.
Lefty Ryan Weathers is close to returning to the rotation after being out with a left lat strain since June. He began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville over the weekend.
âThere’s definitely where we’re maybe not looking to have to get Ryan built back up to a full workload before he comes back and pitches for us,â McCullough told De Nicola. âIf he’s able to get the 75- to 80-pitch range prior to coming back, we feel good with that. And more importantly, assuring that after this next one, if he’s able to recover well with more intensity and more volume, will be the bigger dictator for us about what we do with the next one.â
The Marlins are an early candidate to be a team to watch out for in 2026 as they strengthen their pitching staff, but they may struggle over the next few weeks without Cabrera.
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