Cubs going with “best arm available” strategy in 9th with Daniel Palencia sidelined
Just a few weeks into the season, the Chicago Cubs have already turned to 13 different relievers from the bullpen. Injuries have taken out Phil Maton, Ethan Roberts, Porter Hodge, and most recently Daniel Palencia. With their closer Palencia, being sidelined with an oblique issue, here we take a look at how manager Craig Counsell might navigate the ninth inning in his absence.
With Daniel Palencia sidelined by an oblique strain, the Chicago Cubs will go with the “best arm available” approach

Given the relief options currently available to Counsell, which includes five lefties in Caleb Thielbar, Hoby Milner, Riley Martin, Ryan Rolison and Luke Little, along with right-handers Ben Brown and Jacob Webb, the strategy while Palencia us out unsurprisingly is going to be “best arm available.” This approach seemingly is the only option, and given the amount of southpaws in the bullpen, the Cubs are likely to be on the wrong side of matchups late in games.
That said, among the available options, the most reliable choices right now may be Caleb Thielbar and Hoby Milner. Both have allowed just two runs so far, with Milner logging 8.1 innings and Thielbar six. Neither is known for piling up strikeouts, but they limit walks and consistently find ways to record outs, something that has been a hallmark of their careers.
Not far behind them is Ben Brown. The 26-year-old former starter has been used exclusively in multi-inning outings this season, and over 14.2 innings he’s struck out 14, walked five, and posted a 3.06 ERA. While he’s 0-for-1 in save opportunities, allowing runs in his second inning of work against the Guardians on April 5, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get more multi-inning save chances while Daniel Palencia is sidelined.
Ultimately, this approach may not offer the clarity of a traditional closer, but at this point there are no other options. Hopefully the Cubs can piece together the final outs based on who is throwing the best amidst all these injuries, but for now, a committee approach appears to be the most practical path forward while Palencia is sidelined.
The post Cubs going with “best arm available” strategy in 9th with Daniel Palencia sidelined appeared first on ChiCitySports.
Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-daniel-palencia-who-closes-with-him-injured/
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