The Cubs may be staring at one of those good problems that still feels like a headache in real time.
Edward Cabrera looks close enough that a roster call is coming soon, and Daniel Palencia is not there yet. That’s the short version from Craig Counsell after both pitchers went through rehab work, and it leaves Chicago with a little more clarity on Cabrera and a little more waiting to do on Palencia.
Counsell said a decision is near for Cabrera, though the Cubs can buy another day or two because he pitched Tuesday night. Palencia, on the other hand, has not made the same kind of case in his minor-league rehab assignment and figures to need a few more outings before he’s back with the Cubs.
The timing matters because the Cubs are already headed into a stretch where the pitching staff is going to get crowded fast. After the trade deadline, that was always going to happen.
Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes are in the mix, and as many as seven pitchers could return from injury before October. That means Counsell and the front office are going to be sorting through some uncomfortable roster decisions in the days and weeks ahead.
Cabrera is the more intriguing piece because, even with his struggles earlier this season, he could still end up as a real October weapon. The Cubs’ deadline moves made one thing pretty clear: last year’s NLDS loss to the Milwaukee Brewers still lingered. Chicago didn’t have its preferred rotation setup, and the bullpen didn’t have the kind of depth or versatility Milwaukee had.
That’s where Cabrera comes in. He may not settle into a defined starting role, but he could give the Cubs a kind of pitching option they simply didn’t have last October.
And the rehab results have been strong. Cabrera has thrown nine scoreless innings across his last two minor-league starts, struck out 15 and allowed only one hit. His fastball was back in the upper-90s, which is exactly the kind of sign the Cubs were hoping to see from the pitcher they once liked so much with the Miami Marlins.
Palencia’s path looks slower. Across a little more than two innings in three rehab appearances, he has issued six walks and allowed five runs. That’s not the kind of line that says he’s nearly ready.
The good news for Chicago is that the pitching depth now gives the team room to be patient. With so many arms potentially on the way back, the Cubs can afford to take their time with Palencia and make sure he’s ready for the stretch that matters most. October is the target.
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