Daniel Palencia Fantasy Stats

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is progressing from his elbow tendinitis, but manager Craig Counsell said that he will not be activated from the 15-day injured list until after the All-Star break in mid-July, according to Bruce Levine of the Marquee Sports Network. Palencia landed on the IL on June 16 and has yet to resume throwing. Fantasy managers stashing the 26-year-old high-leverage arm are going to need to be patient. In a best-case scenario, Palencia won't be back on Chicago's major-league roster until late July. In the meantime, Counsell is currently rolling with a closer-by-committee situation in the ninth inning that features Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb, and Trent Thornton. Thielber and Webb are both rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues right now, while Thornton is available in all of Yahoo leagues. Palencia has a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, three saves, 19 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 2/3 innings this year while dealing with injuries. He had a career-high 22 saves in 54 regular-season outings in 2025 in a breakout campaign. When he returns, Palencia should return to regular closing duties in the second half of the season.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia (elbow) was diagnosed with a mild flexor strain on Saturday, providing some clarity regarding the injury that has sidelined him for nearly a week. Manager Craig Counsell said that the 26-year-old recently underwent an MRI, which revealed the strain, though it was determined to be minor. The Cubs' closer will be shut down through the team's upcoming road trip, which begins on Monday and concludes next Sunday. At that point, he will be re-evaluated, and a clearer course of action can be determined. In his absence, the Cubs could turn to a committee approach, with Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar, and Jacob Webb all potentially emerging as options to handle save opportunities and close out games for Chicago.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is heading to the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with right-elbow inflammation, according to Bruce Levine of the Marquee Sports Network. It's the second time that Palencia will head to the IL this year, with his previous time coming from a lat strain. The 26-year-old Venezuelan hurler apparently injured his elbow during his scoreless outing against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in the series opener. Palencia has gone 2-1 this year with a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, three saves, 19 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 2/3 innings over 19 appearances out of the bullpen. It's unclear what direction manager Craig Counsell will go for save opportunities going forward with Palencia on the IL again. If they use a closer-by-committee situation, all of Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton, and Jacob Webb could be in line for ninth-inning work. Thielbar, Maton, and Webb are all currently rostered in under 3% of Yahoo leagues.

The Chicago Cubs reinstated right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) from the 15-day injured list and designated pitcher Yacksel Rios for assignment in a corresponding move on Sunday before their series finale against the D-backs, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. Palencia was initially expected to return for the series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, but instead, the Cubs sent him on a short minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa. The 26-year-old Venezuelan hurler threw two-thirds of an inning with Iowa on Friday and is now back in Chicago's big-league bullpen. The Cubs could decide to ease Palencia back in after he recovered from a lat strain, but there's no question that he will be the team's primary closer now that he's healthy. Before his injury, Palencia had one save and five strikeouts in five shutout innings, and he had a career-high 22 saves for the team in 2025. Pick him up immediately if he's available in your fantasy league. He's rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) is back from his minor-league rehab assignment and is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list in the next few days, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. Palencia tossed two-thirds of an inning with a strikeout in a scoreless rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa on Friday, and now he's ready to rejoin the Cubs' bullpen for the rest of their series at Wrigley Field this weekend versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cubs could ease the 26-year-old Venezuelan back into the closer's role, but he will eventually take over primary closing duties for the Cubs again now that he's recovered from his lat strain. Palencia had tossed five scoreless innings with a save this year before his injury, and he recorded a career-best 22 saves while striking out 61 in 52 2/3 regular-season innings in his third year in the league in 2025. He should be rostered in all fantasy baseball leagues as Chicago's primary ninth-inning arm.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) made his first minor-league rehab appearance on Friday night with Triple-A Iowa and did not allow a run in two-thirds of an inning while allowing one hit and striking out one. The hard-throwing reliever hit 102 mph on the radar gun during the outing. The Cubs were considering activating him from the 15-day injured list for the start of their three-game weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, but they instead sent him for a rehab outing. After a solid performance at Iowa, Palencia may be activated before the end of the series versus Arizona this weekend. The 26-year-old Venezuelan hurler should be immediately scooped up off the waiver wire if he's available in your league, as he will return to primary closing duties in Chicago when he's back. Before his lat injury, Palencia had tossed five scoreless innings for the Cubbies with a save and five strikeouts. He's currently rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) will make a minor-league rehab appearance on Friday with Triple-A Iowa, manager Craig Counsell told Andy Martinez. If Palencia looks good on Friday and doesn't suffer a setback with his lat, the Cubs could activate him from the 15-day injured list for the final two games of the series in Chicago this weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cubs said earlier this week that there was a chance Palencia would be reinstated from the IL on Friday. Although he might initially be eased into high-leverage situations when he returns to the Cubs' bullpen, the 26-year-old Venezuelan reliever should return to primary closing duties in Chicago sooner rather than later. Before his lat injury, Palencia threw five shutout innings with five strikeouts and one save. He broke out in 2205 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, a career-high 22 saves, and a 10.4 K/9 in 52 2/3 regular-season innings. Left-hander Hoby Milner picked up the team's last save on Wednesday, but righties Ben Brown and Phil Maton could see a save chance this weekend if Palencia is not ready to return. Palencia is rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues. If he's available in your league, now would be a good time to scoop him up.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) has made enough progress that the Cubs are considering activating him from the 15-day injured list on Friday for the start of a three-game series at Wrigley Field against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. With Chicago's pitching staff decimated by injuries early in 2026, the Cubs could have Palencia return to their major-league bullpen without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. When active, the hard-throwing right-hander should immediately return to closing duties in Chicago, especially with Caleb Thielbar (hamstring) and Hunter Harvey (triceps) on the IL. The 26-year-old Venezuelan high-leverage reliever had a career-best 22 saves in 52 2/3 regular-season innings last year in his third year with the Cubs, and he had tossed five scoreless innings with a save and five strikeouts in five relief appearances for Chicago this year before injuring his lat. Pick Palencia up immediately if he's available in your league with his return on the horizon. Palencia is rostered in 81% of Yahoo leagues.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) had an MRI exam that showed a lat strain, manager Craig Counsell told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. An optimistic timeline would have Palencia reinstated from the 15-day injured list in two weeks. "He's responding very well right now. There's a chance that we're throwing here before we go to the West Coast," Counsell said. The Cubs put the 26-year-old on the IL last Friday with what was initially called a left-oblique strain. The Cubs' pitching staff has been hit hard by early-season injuries, but they are getting lefty starter Matthew Boyd (biceps) back on Wednesday, and Palencia could be back closing out games in a little over two weeks. Palencia should be held onto in fantasy leagues as a potential high-end closer when he's healthy. He's currently rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues at the moment. Lefty Caleb Thielbar picked up Chicago's last save on Saturday, but righty Ben Brown could also contribute a few saves for the Cubbies until Palencia is cleared to return.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (oblique) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 14) on Friday with a left-oblique strain, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. It's yet another injury for Chicago's pitching staff, which has been decimated early in the 2026 season. The 26-year-old Palencia has yet to allow a run for the Cubbies so far this year in five relief innings, recording a save, two walks, and five strikeouts along the way. However, he'll now likely have to miss more than two weeks with his oblique injury. In the meantime, right-hander Ben Brown figures to see the majority of save chances for the Cubs with Palencia on the shelf. Palencia hadn't pitched since last Sunday, and now we know why. High-leverage relievers Phil Maton (knee) and Hunter Harvey (triceps) are also on the IL right now. In addition to Brown, Caleb Thielbar could see some save opportunities in Chicago.