CHICAGO -- After monitoring Daniel Palencia over the past several days, the Cubs opted to have the closer undergo imaging on his ailing right elbow. Given the potential outcomes, what the tests revealed could be categorized as good news.
On Saturday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that an MRI on Palencia showed a “mild flexor strain” in the joint. Counsell added that the reliever would be shut down from throwing through the upcoming road trip against the Mets (Monday-Thursday) and Brewers (June 26-28).
“And then we’ll start ramping him back up,” Counsell said.
Palencia landed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday after dealing with right elbow inflammation following his outing Monday against the Rockies. During that 20-pitch appearance in the ninth inning, Palencia averaged 98.4 mph on his fastball, topping out at 100.3 mph.
Even as the stuff looked in line with Palencia’s typical production, Counsell made a mound visit during the appearance with a member of the Cubs’ training staff. The manager explained after the game that he did not like Palencia’s body language, but the reliever remained in the game, continued to top 99 mph regularly and struck out the side.
“Sort of out of an abundance of caution, it made sense to put him on the IL,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Tuesday. “Certainly, I think when a manager goes out there for that reason, oftentimes [the pitcher] comes out. He was insistent that he felt great and kind of doubled down on that by pitching really well after that. But, given the conversations after the game, it made sense to IL him.”
In 19 appearances for the Cubs this season, the 26-year-old Palencia has posted a 2.70 ERA with 19 strikeouts and six walks in 16 2/3 innings, picking up three saves. The righty also missed time on the IL (April 13-May 4) earlier this season due to a left oblique injury. It has been a rocky first half on the health front after Palencia helped Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic in March.
Counsell named Palencia the closer early in Spring Training after the righty racked up 22 saves last year and served as a key multi-inning arm during Chicago’s playoff run. In 54 games in the regular season last year, Palencia turned in a 2.91 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings for the North Siders.
Without Palencia, Counsell does not have a set “closer” in the Cubs’ bullpen.
“The guys will have to just get their outs,” Counsell said earlier this week. “It’ll be maybe not the same order every night. The same guys – it’ll just be in different order.”