Chicago Cubs bullpen has been crazy-good. Meanwhile, there’s good news on Daniel Palencia

The Chicago Cubs got a terrible jolt of reality when closer Daniel Palencia was pulled from last Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals with a painfully evident shoulder injury. The injury came after a disastrous 5-run blown save where the 25-year-old failed to retire a single batter.

As just about everyone expected, that gut punch of bad news was followed by the announcement that the Cubs had placed Palencia on the 15-day disabled list.

While Palencia’s performances had been trending downward for about a month already, the loss of the team’s designated closer was a bitter pill to swallow, especially in the home stretch of a season where the team is all but guaranteed a playoff spot.

The Chicago Cubs bullpen has been crazy-good

In the four games since Palencia’s injury, though, the Cubs bullpen could not have responded better to manager Craig Counsell’s closer-by-committee backup plan.

Since September 8, Chicago’s bullpen has been insanely good and efficient, with a .68 ERA in 13.1 innings while allowing just 3 hits and no walks. In the last 3 games, the pen has been completely lights out, allowing no runs and 1 hit in 11.1 innings.

“It’s as simple as trying to get 27 outs. And however that lines up, it lines up,” Counsell said, back when Palencia was placed on the IL, referring to a backup plan that he insisted was really just business as usual. “[The other relievers] don’t have to step up. They just have to continue doing what they’re doing. That’s the answer. The other guys in the bullpen, just keep doing what you’re doing.”

So far, everything has run extremely smoothly. If the last two games are any indication of where things will be headed, Counsell might be settling in on the idea of Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge being the late-inning high-leverage men.

2025 vs. Conventional baseball wisdom

It should also be pointed out, though, that the Cubs have been playing the Braves and the Rays these last few games and the dynamic will be completely different once the team is into postseason play.

Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Caleb Thielbar have been season-long assets who were regarded by most as mere depth pieces when brought on to the team. They have proven themselves to be indispensable. Kittredge, with the exception of a couple of subpar outings, has been solid since coming over from the Orioles at the trade deadline. Last year’s closer, Porter Hodge, appears to be healthy now and ending an awful 2025 on a high note.

So, despite conventional baseball wisdom saying that the Cubs will need a dedicated lockdown closer in the playoffs, most of the current Cubs’ bullpen has been consistently good for quite awhile.

Good news on Daniel Palencia

Meanwhile, as everyone prepares for a postseason life without Palencia, there’s been a bit of positive news on that front that gives hope for a return sooner than many expected.

Palencia played catch before Friday’s 6-4 win over the Rays at Wrigley Field and, apparently, it went well.

“He had a good day,” Counsell told reporters. “It was a good day of catch. We will move forward tomorrow with more catch, maybe a little higher intensity. But he had a very good day…It was like diagnostic catch, maybe is the way to say it. Let’s play catch to see how it feels. We’re hoping it feels good and then we’ll keep moving forward.”

At the very least, this adds the possibility of having one more arm in the bullpen for the opening Wild Card series and (hopefully) beyond.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-bullpen-palencia-keller-counsell?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicago-cubs-bullpen-palencia-keller-counsell