The Cubs will reinstate Daniel Palencia from the 60-day injured list before Friday’s series opener in Seattle, reports Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Chicago will need to open a spot on the pitching staff and 40-man rosters after tomorrow’s off day.
Palencia was just transferred to the 60-day IL on Monday in a procedural move that allowed them to call up Owen Miller as an extra infielder. Palencia has been out since June 16 and had already spent 60 days on the shelf, so that transaction didn’t have any bearing on his rehab progression. The righty had also missed a couple weeks in April with an oblique strain and has been limited to 19 appearances on the year.
The 26-year-old Palencia is Chicago’s best reliever when he’s fully healthy. He has allowed five runs in 16 2/3 innings, recording 19 strikeouts behind a 99-100 mph heater. Palencia recorded 22 saves and had a 2.91 ERA across 52 2/3 frames a year ago. He also had a dominant showing in the World Baseball Classic and recorded the save in the championship game for his native Venezuela.
Jacob Webb, who consistently churns out good numbers despite bouncing from team to team on modest free agent deals, has four of the team’s six saves this month. Webb hasn’t given up a run since June 20. He’s riding a 23-game scoreless streak that is tied for the longest by any pitcher this season. The Cubs can continue using him as the primary closer while mixing Palencia into leverage situations alongside Trent Thornton, Ryan Rolison and Caleb Thielbar.
The Cubs should have a few more bullpen reinforcements coming. Hoby Milner is rehabbing from an appendectomy. Edward Cabrera will move to the bullpen once he’s ready to return from the blister that led to his third IL stint of the season.
Most interestingly, Shelby Miller also began a rehab assignment this month and might be a factor in September. The veteran righty is working back from last October’s elbow surgery, which was initially expected to cost him the entire 2026 season. Miller started throwing again earlier this summer and has been in the 95-96 mph range on his fastball with Iowa.
