Cubs starter Edward Cabrera exited Wednesday’s 5‑0 loss to the Brewers after a blister flared on his right middle finger. Cabrera, 28, threw a single pitch before calling the training staff to the mound. He was replaced by right‑hander Trent Thornton in the top of the fourth and to help the bullpen and keep the rotation.

Cabrera posted one inning, allowing four runs—only one earned—four hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. The injury came after a season that has seen the Cubs’ rotation hollowed by ailments: Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton and Justin Steele are all on the injured list, draining depth and forcing managers to shuffle options to fill gaps daily.

Cabrera noted he’s battled the blister for weeks and expects to return in his next start. The blow underscores the Cubs’ ongoing pitching crisis, which has pushed the organization to consider calling up right‑hander Javier Assad, recently demoted to the minors, as a potential rotation backup to stabilize the staff and protect the bullpen.

With key starters sidelined, the Cubs face a thin rotation that could derail their playoff hopes. Cabrera’s early exit and the looming need for Assad signal a fragile pitching lineup that must be repaired if Chicago aims to keep the division race alive while managers scramble to find long‑term solutions to stabilize the staff and secure.