Chicago Cubs: Brilliant Cabrera loses no-hitter to Conforto flub

The Chicago Cubs continue to be a mixed bag so far this season, showcasing some high-level execution, but also some stretches of uninspired play. Sunday’s 1-1 double header against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field showcased that dichotomy.

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In the first game of the day, new Cub Edward Cabrera was brilliant through 5.2 innings, striking out 4 and allowing just one hit—a very disputed one to start off the sixth.

Conforto’s flub ends Cabrera’s no-hitter bid

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In what should’ve been a deep, but routine fly ball off the bat of the Guardians’ CJ Kayfus, right fielder Michael Conforto misjudged the trajectory and ended up with the ball over his head and up against the wall. The double (on what was a 99% probability catch according to Twitter stats account The WARmonger) would be the first hit off Cabrera and, ultimately, the only hit from the Guardians in the game.

“Bad read by Michael,” Marquee Sports Network color commentator Jim Deshaies said at the time of the play. “He actually broke in hard two or three steps before realizing this ball was headed towards the wall.”

Catch probability initially 99% on this one, BTW. It may update later but doubt it goes far. Tough way to lose a no-no. https://t.co/LRdSrYP0hy

— The WARmonger (@TheWARmonger_) April 5, 2026

The Cubs managed to exit the inning with no runs allowed. Later, Conforto redeemed himself a bit by drawing a walk in the eighth inning which would ultimately lead to Chicago scoring the winning run of the ballgame.

Realistically, the outfield flub came at the very beginning of the sixth, with Cabrera having already thrown 75 pitches. Regardless of what happened that inning, it was unlikely that manager Craig Counsell would’ve kept Cabrera in the game that much longer, anyway.

Cabrera’s continued brilliance

If anything, the story of the game was more Cabrera’s dominance than Conforto’s misread in right field. The 27-year-old power-pitching right-hander, who came to the Cubs this past offseason in a trade for Cubs top prospect Owen Caissie and two other prospects, has been lights-out in his first two starts of the season. In 11.2 innings so far, he’s only allowed 2 hits and has yet to give up a run.

After the game, the native of the Dominican Republic heaped praise on the defense behind him as a whole, making sure to emphasize his trust in “all” his teammates.

“I want to thank God for the two outings that I’ve had,” Cabrera said via team interpreter Fredy Quevedo Jr.

“It feels good to have a defense like the one we have out there. We have a great defense, and I trust all the guys. And when I say I trust all the guys, I mean all the guys. It’s a great defense. It feels really, really good.”

Shota Imanaga, who started game two of Sunday’s double header, rushed to give his new teammate extreme kudos.

“As a starter, you want to keep the team in the game,” Imanaga said via his own interpreter, Edwin Stanberry. “He’s able to dominate, and I think there’s a lot to learn from him. I want to be able to do what he’s doing and dominate the hitters.”

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-edward-cabrera-no-hitter-michael-conforto/