Daniel Palencia Fantasy Stats

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.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia is one of the best closer options to grab once the elite options are off the board, since the 26-year-old is locked in as the team's primary closer and has lots of breakout potential. Palencia had 22 saves in 54 games last year and posted an impressive 2.91 ERA, 3.08 FIP, and 61 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings. He went just 1-6 but added six holds while converting 22 of his 25 save opportunities. Palencia should get the save opportunities for a team expected to be one of the best in the National League, and the 26-year-old could easily be a top-10 closer this season, making him a great value at his current ADP as around the 15th relief pitcher off the board.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia is his closer, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Palencia said he learned to be more calm and confident after some failures last year, but overall, he was great at the back end of Chicago's bullpen. The 26-year-old Venezuelan had a career-best 2.91 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 22 saves, 61 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in the regular season. Palencia lost the closing role to Brad Keller late last year after dealing with a shoulder injury, but Keller is now gone, and Palencia has a chance to take a step forward in 2026. He was able to break out last year by dropping his walk rate from 13.8% his first two MLB seasons to 7.4% last year. Palencia is one of the hardest-throwing relievers in the game with nasty stuff, but he'll need to throw strikes to stave off regression.

The Chicago Cubs have activated closer Daniel Palencia (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list and optioned left-hander Jordan Wicks to their Arizona complex. Palencia is returning after missing a little over two weeks with a strained right shoulder. The 25-year-old will look to rebound after he was blown up for five earned runs while failing to record an out in his most recent appearance on Sept. 7. Despite that catastrophic outing, he still owns a 3.00 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP, 59:16 K:BB, and 22 saves over 51 innings. It's unclear if the Cubs will ease Palencia back in or immediately reinstall him as their closer as the playoffs approach. Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller combined for five saves while Palencia was on the IL.

Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (shoulder) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday. The right-hander has been on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain since Sept. 8, leaving Andrew Kittredge as the Cubs' primary choice for saves over the past week-plus. Palencia was tattooed for five earned runs on four hits (including two homers) in his most recent appearance on Sept. 7, when he failed to record an out in a loss to the Washington Nationals. However, the 25-year-old has still logged an impressive 3.00 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP, 59:16 K:BB, and 22 saves in 51 innings. There's no word on how many rehab appearances he'll need before the playoff-bound Cubs activate him.

Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia (shoulder) threw off a mound on Monday for the first time since going on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 8 with a right-shoulder strain. Palencia resumed playing catch on Sept. 12 and has continued his rehab with positive results. While there's no timetable on the 25-year-old's return, it seems he has a good chance to return before the end of the month if he can avoid setbacks as he continues to ramp up. Palencia will be a big part of Chicago's bullpen for the postseason, as he has converted 22 of his 25 save opportunities this year and has a 3.00 ERA in 52 games pitched. With Palencia sidelined, both Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge have picked up saves, but Kittredge is manager Craig Counsell's preferred option in the ninth inning, having saved three games in the last week.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia (shoulder) played catch at Wrigley Field on Friday, according to Andy Martinez of Watch Marquee Sports. It's a notable step for Palencia, as it's the first time the closer has thrown a ball since he suffered a strained right shoulder on Sunday. Currently on the 15-day injured list, the 25-year-old is eligible to return to the big-league bullpen on Sept. 23, but it's unclear if he'll be ready by then. Before his injury, Palencia was serving as Chicago's primary ninth-inning man while posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 59:16 K:BB, and a career-high 22 saves in 51 innings pitched. Since he landed on the shelf, Andrew Kittredge has the Cubs' only save, but veteran Brad Keller could also factor into the short-term saves picture.

The Chicago Cubs placed right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a right-shoulder strain and recalled pitcher Ethan Roberts from the minors in a corresponding move, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Palencia didn't retire any of the five batters he faced in Sunday's series finale against the Washington Nationals and took his third blown save of the season before the team announced he had shoulder tightness. There's a good chance that the hard-throwing 25-year-old closer won't be able to rejoin Chicago's bullpen before the end of the regular season, although the Cubs will surely be hoping he can return for the postseason in October. With Palencia on the shelf for at least two weeks, fantasy managers should look for right-hander Brad Keller to take over closing duties on the North Side.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia (shoulder) is likely to miss time after suffering an injury during Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals. Palenica was removed from Sunday's outing due to tightness in his right shoulder. Before exiting, Palencia was destroyed for five earned runs on four hits with one walk in the loss. There is no word on how long Palencia will be sidelined, but a trip to the injured list seems likely. Brad Keller is likely going to be the next man up in the bullpen, but Porter Hodge should also be in the mix for saves in Chicago.

It wasn't pretty, but Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia earned his 22nd save of the season in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Braves. Palencia came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one. He got the first out on a strikeout, allowed a single, got the second out on a fly-out, allowed another single, and left the tying run stranded on third with a fly-out. The 25-year-old hasn't been the most consistent lately, but he has put together a solid season overall. He has converted 22 of 24 save opportunities with a 2.16 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and a 10.26 K/9 rate in 50 innings of work. Palencia should continue to provide plenty of fantasy value for the rest of the season as the Cubs push towards the playoffs.