Daniel Palencia supplied an encouraging inning Sunday while the Cubs were trying to stay within a run of Pittsburgh. He reached 100 mph and completed his fourth consecutive scoreless outing, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Sept. 13 report.
That stretch matters because the return from injury has been uneven. The same report counted seven earned runs in 8⅓ innings across his first nine appearances after returning from right-elbow inflammation Aug. 21. A few better outings are progress, not proof that every issue is settled.
The goal has been clear since his return. In August reporting from Seattle, Palencia said he was open to whatever role helped the team, while Craig Counsell emphasized getting him ready for important innings. He had saved 22 games with a 2.91 ERA in 2025, giving Chicago a concrete example of what he can provide.
Sunday's inning was not a save situation. It still kept the deficit at one, which is useful work for a bullpen that needs more than a single trusted finisher.
Palencia's recent improvement gives Counsell another option to evaluate. The strongest case for a larger role will come from repeating those innings, rather than restoring a title before the performance warrants it.
