Trade Targets: Pivetta and Cabrera – Evaluating Potential Pitching Upgrades
As your team navigates the offseason, bolstering the pitching staff is often a top priority. Several pitchers are generating trade interest, offering varying degrees of risk and reward. Here, we’ll dissect the profiles of two intriguing options: Nick Pivetta and Luis cabrera, providing a detailed assessment to help you determine if they’re the right fit for your organization.
Nick Pivetta: A Proven Arm with Questions
Pivetta presents a compelling case as a potential mid-rotation starter. He enjoyed a standout 2025 season, posting a 2.87 ERA across 133 innings.This performance showcased his ability to dominate, limiting hitters to a mere.183 average and striking out 30.3% of batters faced – numbers that place him among the best in the league.
However, it’s crucial to look beyond the surface. While his recent success is enticing, you need to consider the possibility that it represents an outlier. Over the previous four seasons (2021-2024), Pivetta maintained a 4.33 ERA, a 4.20 FIP, and a 101 ERA+, suggesting a more average overall performance.
moreover, despite the impressive ERA, his underlying metrics raise concerns. His expected ERA was 3.96, driven by a high 45.0% hard-hit rate (15th percentile) and a 10.9% barrel rate (10th percentile). This indicates that batted balls in play may regress toward the meen, possibly inflating his ERA in the future.
key Considerations for Pivetta:
* Age & Control: He’s 33 years old (as of Valentine’s Day), and acquiring him could mean only one season of his services.
* Contract: Pivetta is arbitration-eligible, offering team control through the 2028 season.
* Potential Cost: Be prepared to offer a important trade package for a pitcher of his caliber.
Luis Cabrera: Emerging Talent with Room to Grow
cabrera represents a different type of acquisition – a young pitcher with significant upside. The 27-year-old demonstrated significant advancement in 2025,logging a 3.53 ERA over 26 starts. Most notably, he drastically reduced his walk rate to a career-best 8.3%.
He leans heavily on his mid-90s changeup and mid-80s curveball, which proved exceptionally effective. in fact, his curveball generated the fifth-lowest expected slugging percentage of any pitch in MLB (minimum 100 plate appearances ending on the pitch). This combination of power stuff and improved control makes him an attractive target for teams seeking long-term pitching solutions.
Though, Cabrera’s path hasn’t been without its challenges. He struggled with control earlier in his career, posting double-digit walk rates in his first four MLB seasons, including a concerning 15.2% mark in 2023. You’ll need to assess whether his 2025 performance signifies a genuine breakthrough or a temporary improvement.
Durability is another concern. Cabrera has yet to establish himself as a workhorse, with 137 2/3 innings in 2025 representing a career high. He’s also experienced multiple injury setbacks, including five trips to the injured list as June 2023.
key Considerations for Cabrera:
* Control: His improved walk rate is a positive sign, but consistency is key.
* Durability: Monitor his injury history and assess his ability to handle a heavier workload.
* Contract: Cabrera also has three seasons of club control remaining, offering long-term value.
* Upside: His power repertoire and recent improvements suggest significant potential for further progress.
Final Thoughts:
Both Pivetta and Cabrera offer intriguing possibilities for your team. Pivetta provides immediate impact and proven performance, but comes with age and potential regression concerns. Cabrera, conversely, represents a higher-risk