He feels great anyway

Daniel Palencia told the Sun-Times on Sunday that he's in a really good spot, even though his 2026 numbers say otherwise.

“I feel like I'm in a really good spot right now.”

More work, more confidence

Palencia credits the simple fact that he's pitching again. Regular appearances have him feeling like himself on the mound.

“I'm getting more action, so I'm starting to feel really good.”

The ugly recent line

Since returning from right elbow inflammation on Aug. 21, he has thrown 8 1/3 innings across nine games and given up seven earned runs, a 7.56 ERA.

A season broken in two

A strained left oblique in April and the elbow in August cut his year into pieces. He's at a 4.32 ERA in just 28 games.

Last year was different

In 2025 he posted a 2.91 ERA in 54 games with 22 saves. The gap between that pitcher and this one is the whole story.

October proved it once

In six postseason outings, all at least an inning, he kept the other side scoreless five times. That's the version the Cubs want back.

Sunday looked like him

He touched 100 mph and finished a fourth straight scoreless outing, his longest run since April, holding a one-run deficit in the ninth of a 4-3 loss.

Counsell keeps running him out

The manager called it Palencia's best outing since coming off the injured list and said that's exactly why he keeps getting the ball.

“That's why you just keep putting him out there.”

Bats aren't missing

Compared with last season, his strikeouts are down, his walks are up and hitters are making far more contact against him.

Not the WBC's fault

He racked up three saves and nine strikeouts in five scoreless World Baseball Classic innings, and says he pitched well after that anyway.

“I don't think so, because I was good after that.”

Thinking too much

Coming off the first injury he was focused on staying healthy and overthought it. Now, he says, he's just playing baseball again.

“The human body's not made to play baseball. So it's going to happen.”

Stuck on three saves

He hasn't added one since May 14. Jacob Webb leads the Cubs with nine, and 14 different Cubs have recorded at least one.

He's not chasing the ninth

Asked if he wants the closer job back, Palencia pointed at the group instead of himself.

“I love that job, but all the guys have been great for us. I don't care who takes the ball.”

The Ramirez squeeze

Dansby Swanson returns from an oblique strain next weekend, pushing Nico Hoerner back to short and rookie Pedro Ramirez out of the lineup after a .936 OPS week.

“It's a good problem to have.”

Two outs, no problem

Amaya's fifth-inning homer fed a majors-best 300 two-out RBI, plus a league-leading 235 RBI from the Nos. 7-9 spots.