The Chicago Cubs are preparing to welcome Daniel Palencia back to their bullpen, but the hard-throwing right-hander is not expected to immediately reclaim the closer role he held earlier this season.
Palencia has been sidelined since June with inflammation in his right elbow, ending a promising stretch in which he had established himself as Chicago’s primary ninth-inning option. The Cubs recently moved him to the 60-day injured list as a procedural roster move, rather than because of a setback in his recovery. After completing his minor-league rehabilitation assignment, Palencia is now expected to be activated and join the Cubs in Seattle on Friday.
The biggest development surrounding his return is the change in how Chicago plans to deploy him. Rather than automatically placing him back in the ninth inning, manager Craig Counsell has indicated that the Cubs intend to remain flexible with Palencia’s usage. That could mean using him in a variety of high-leverage situations, particularly as the team tries to strengthen its bullpen for the stretch run and potential postseason play.
The change is largely connected to how well other Chicago relievers have performed while Palencia has been unavailable. Right-hander Jacob Webb, in particular, has emerged as one of the Cubs’ most dependable late-inning weapons. Webb has produced a lengthy scoreless streak and has earned Counsell’s confidence in important situations. His emergence gives the Cubs another reliable option for the most critical innings.
That development could make Palencia more valuable in a flexible setup. Instead of restricting him exclusively to save situations, the Cubs can potentially deploy his power arm whenever the most dangerous part of an opposing lineup is due up. Such a strategy could allow Chicago to take advantage of Palencia’s ability to miss bats while also reducing the pressure of expecting him to record three outs at the end of every game.
Palencia’s return is particularly important because Chicago is entering the most important portion of its season. The Cubs are firmly in the National League postseason picture and have strengthened their roster ahead of the playoff race. With October approaching, having several trustworthy options for the seventh, eighth and ninth innings could become a major advantage.
Palencia’s 2026 season has been interrupted by injuries, but his performance when healthy has been encouraging. He entered his latest injury absence with a 2-1 record, a 2.70 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He had struck out 19 hitters and recorded three saves across 16⅔ innings. Those numbers demonstrated why the Cubs originally trusted him with the closer job.
His season has been particularly difficult from a health standpoint. He initially missed time because of a left oblique strain before returning to the Cubs. Later, he developed right-elbow inflammation and was placed back on the injured list in June. The elbow issue kept him out for roughly two months, forcing Chicago to find alternative solutions in the back end of its bullpen.
Palencia began his rehabilitation assignment on August 5 and gradually worked his way back toward major-league readiness. His rehab appearances provided the Cubs with an opportunity to evaluate his health, command and effectiveness before bringing him back into a pennant race.
The Cubs’ decision also reflects the depth they have accumulated in their bullpen. Chicago added several arms around the trade deadline, including Ryan Zeferjahn, while other pitchers have emerged during the season. However, not every addition has immediately delivered as hoped. Zeferjahn, for example, has struggled since joining the Cubs, giving up five runs in his first six appearances with the club.
That inconsistency makes Palencia’s return even more significant. A healthy Palencia gives Counsell another powerful option capable of handling high-pressure innings. His ability to generate strikeouts can be particularly useful when runners are on base and the Cubs need a pitcher capable of escaping trouble without relying heavily on balls in play.
The Cubs are therefore entering an intriguing stage of the season with several different possibilities for their late-inning hierarchy. Webb has earned an increasingly important role, while Palencia brings the experience of having already served as the club’s closer. Other pitchers could also be used depending on matchups, workload and game circumstances.
For Palencia, the immediate objective will be to prove that his elbow is fully healthy and regain his rhythm after an extended absence. The Cubs do not necessarily need him to return and immediately collect saves. What they need most is another dependable power arm who can handle meaningful situations as they prepare for the postseason.
The move could ultimately benefit both the pitcher and the team. Palencia will have an opportunity to ease back into major-league action instead of being thrown straight into the pressure of every ninth inning, while Counsell gains the freedom to use him according to the situation.
Chicago currently sits in the thick of the National League playoff race, making bullpen flexibility increasingly important. The Cubs entered Wednesday with a 74-54 record and held the first NL Wild Card position, while remaining within striking distance of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
With the postseason approaching, the Cubs will need their pitching staff to be at its strongest. Palencia’s return could provide a major boost, even if his job description looks different from the one he had before the injury.
Rather than viewing the loss of his closing role as a demotion, the Cubs appear to be treating Palencia as a versatile late-inning weapon. If he can regain his pre-injury form, Chicago could have another dangerous arm available for the highest-leverage moments of the season.
The bigger question now is how Counsell will distribute those opportunities. Webb has established himself as a trusted reliever, Palencia is returning with closer experience, and the Cubs have other arms competing for important innings. That competition could give Chicago more flexibility and potentially make its bullpen better equipped for the demands of October baseball.
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