The Chicago Cubs got about as good a medical update as they could have hoped for Saturday, and believe me, they needed it.
Daniel Palencia, their closer and arguably the most reliable arm in a bullpen that’s been held together with tape and prayers, had an MRI that showed only a mild flexor strain. According to manager Craig Counsell, relayed by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Palencia is shut down from throwing for about a week. The team had already placed him on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right elbow inflammation after he left his June 15 outing against the Rockies looking uncomfortable.
Anytime an elbow issue pops up for a pitcher, you hold your breath. Elbow pain can mean anything from a few days off to Tommy John surgery and a lost season. So when the MRI came back mild, you could hear the collective exhale from Wrigley Field all the way down to Mesa.
Palencia has been a bright spot in a season that’s had its share of dark clouds. He grabbed the closer job after a strong run with Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic and has backed it up with a 2.70 ERA. For a bullpen that’s already lost Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, and Hunter Harvey to various injuries this year, losing Palencia for an extended stretch would have been a body blow.
What the Timeline Looks Like
One week of shutdown means Palencia won’t pick up a baseball until at least late June. After that, he’ll need to build back up. The 15-day IL stint is just a formality at this point; the real target is probably sometime in July, assuming the discomfort doesn’t come back when he starts throwing again.
The Cubs entered Saturday at 40-36, clinging to the final National League Wild Card spot. Every game matters, and every bullpen arm matters more when you’re playing tight games against good teams. But this is a manageable problem. It’s not ideal — no team wants to be without its closer for a month — but it’s way better than the alternative.
Counsell will likely mix and match in the ninth inning for now. Maybe Adbert Alzolay gets a look. Maybe they ride the hot hand from whoever is available that night. But the front office doesn’t have to panic and make a trade they’d regret later. They can wait this one out.
For now, the Cubs take the win. It’s not the kind of win that shows up in the standings, but it’s the kind that keeps a season from unraveling.
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