CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs have quietly taken a decisive step toward stabilizing and strengthening their pitching foundation, finalizing one-year arbitration agreements with two of the most pivotal arms in their rotation picture before Thursday’s salary-exchange deadline.

According to sources briefed on the negotiations, the Cubs avoided arbitration hearings with Edward Cabrera and Justin Steele, a move that not only reduces potential clubhouse tension but also signals confidence in the organization’s long-term pitching blueprint.

The agreements came amid a flurry of roster activity that underscored how seriously Chicago is attacking its most pressing offseason objective: pitching depth and durability.

Just one day earlier, the Cubs completed a notable trade with the Miami Marlins, acquiring Cabrera in exchange for highly regarded outfielder Owen Caissie and minor-league infielders Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon.

It was a price that raised eyebrows across the league, but internally, the Cubs viewed the deal as a calculated investment in upside rather than a simple roster shuffle.

Cabrera will earn $4.45 million in 2026 under the new agreement, and perhaps more importantly, he remains under club control through the 2028 season, giving Chicago multiple years to unlock his full potential.

Team officials believe strongly that their pitching development infrastructure can help Cabrera reach a level he has not yet consistently sustained at the major-league level.

Despite possessing electric raw stuff, Cabrera will turn 28 years old in April without having logged 30 starts or 150 innings in any single MLB season, a statistic that illustrates both his ceiling and his lingering question marks.

From the Cubs’ perspective, that uncertainty is exactly where opportunity lies.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell has often referred to the challenge of managing workloads as “the innings puzzle,” and this offseason has been about assembling enough quality pieces to solve it without overtaxing any single arm.

On paper, Chicago has now built one of the deeper starting pitching groups in the National League, blending proven veterans with high-upside arms and developmental flexibility.

Cabrera’s injury history is part of that equation, but he is far from the only variable the Cubs are monitoring closely.

Steele, one of the organization’s most trusted starters over the past two seasons, is currently navigating a carefully structured rehabilitation program that will keep him off the Opening Day roster.

Steele underwent season-ending surgery on his left elbow in April, a setback that halted what had been another promising campaign.

Despite that, the Cubs reached a one-year agreement with Steele worth $6.775 million, reaffirming their belief in his long-term value.

Steele, now 30 years old, remains positioned to reach free agency after the 2027 season, making his health and performance over the next two years critical not only for the Cubs’ postseason aspirations but also for his own market trajectory.

Encouragingly for Chicago, Steele is still on track to rejoin the rotation at some point during the first half of the season, assuming no setbacks during his rehab progression.

If that timeline holds, the Cubs could see a significant midseason boost that reshapes both their rotation hierarchy and competitive outlook.

The true ceiling of this pitching group, however, depends on two interconnected outcomes.

First, Cabrera must remain healthy enough to provide consistent innings across the summer.

Second, Steele must approximate the form he displayed in 2023, when he finished fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting, emerging as one of the league’s most dependable left-handed starters.

That version of Steele, paired with a fully operational Cabrera, would dramatically elevate Chicago’s October profile.

Many of the foundational elements from that successful stretch are still in place.

Cabrera himself is coming off a productive 2025 season with Miami, posting an 8–7 record, a 3.53 ERA, and 150 strikeouts in 137⅔ innings across 26 starts.

Those numbers, while not elite, hint at a pitcher who can dominate lineups when his mechanics and command align.

The Cubs believe their coaching staff can help refine those aspects, particularly in pitch sequencing and in-game adjustments.

Equally important, Chicago retains the five primary starters from last year’s 92-win team, preserving continuity while layering in additional upside.

That group includes Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, and Colin Rea, each bringing a distinct skill set and role flexibility.

The presence of that core allows the Cubs to avoid rushing Cabrera or Steele back into high-leverage workloads before they are physically ready.

Depth, after all, is often the difference between a playoff appearance and a deep postseason run.

Last October exposed that reality for Chicago.

While the Cubs reached the postseason with momentum, their rotation lacked the dominance and durability required for a legitimate World Series push.

This year’s version, at least on paper, tells a different story.

If Cabrera and Steele both arrive in October in good shape, Chicago’s playoff rotation could look dramatically stronger and far more adaptable than last year’s iteration.

The front office understands that championships are rarely won in March.

They are built gradually, through calculated risks, internal development, and the patience to let talent mature.

In that sense, the arbitration agreements with Cabrera and Steele are more than procedural moves.

They are strategic commitments to a pitching vision that prioritizes upside, health management, and postseason readiness.

As the Cubs move closer to Opening Day, the pieces of that vision are falling into place.

Whether they ultimately fit together as intended will be one of the defining stories of Chicago’s season.