Daniel Palencia’s call-up to the Chicago Cubs has already had an impact on the club’s bullpen in one respect — he’s done something more times this season than any Cub.
In just four innings he’s thrown seven pitches of at least 100 miles per hour. Per MLB.com, that’s already more than any other Cubs pitcher.
Palencia last pitched on Saturday against Boston and continued his trend of shutting down hitters. He threw an inning, giving up a hit and striking out one. He also topped 100 miles per hour twice.
It was just his third game of the season, and his first since a one-inning outing on July 6 against Milwaukee, his last before the All-Star break.
In three games and four innings, he’s 1-0 and has given up just three hits while not allowing a run. He’s struck out three and walked one.
Plus, there’s that velocity and a complementary slider that, in leverage situations, is difficult to hit.
This is not where Palencia — who joined the organization in 2021 from Oakland as part of the return on pitcher Andrew Chafin — was expected to contribute. He started his season at Double-A Tennessee, where he started five games before his call-up to Triple-A Iowa, where the Cubs worked to convert him into a reliever.
He didn’t put up good numbers at either stop. With Tennessee he had no decisions with a 5.87 ERA in 15.1 innings, where he gave up 10 earned runs and 11 hits. He did strike out 18 and walk nine.
With Iowa he pitched in 13 games and the ERA ballooned to 7.90. He gave up 12 earned runs and 13 hits. But he kept the strikeout-to-walk ratio steady, as he fanned 18 and walked seven.
Palencia had been a starter his entire career before the Cubs sought to convert him to a reliever at Iowa. But one thing about his minor-league career has been consistent. Even though he has a 4.76 career ERA, batters hit just .213 against him.
If that is any indication, his MLB opponent batting average of .250 will eventually drop — and the Cubs will continue to benefit.
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