Daniel Palencia is 100+ on his fastball but he hits bats and walks people. Something’s got to give.
Daniel Palencia, No. 48, throws hard. The 25-year-old isn’t real big (5’11”, 160) but he’s often over 100 miles per hour with his fastball, but he’s got a lifetime ERA over 5 and 49 strikeouts in a lifetime 43 innings. He walks a lot of people and then has to thread the needle, using his heater, sinker, and slider, mixing in a slider and change. The Cubs are hoping he gets it all together soon as his offerings could prove troublesome to the opposition.
Projection systems have him logging enough MLB time to go 2-2. That’d help. He could do much more, but the Cubs will take that record to 85-72 and call it a good deal.
That puts the team right where it needs to be for a playoff spot, at the very least, and with the possibility of a 90-win year still dangling there.
Palencia himself makes $800,000, with 2026 and 2027 being pre-arb years. He’ll have to produce or he’ll be moving along before long. A decent season might include cutting down on those bases on balls and getting a little less of the plate, a taffy-pull and no mistake, but one that a modern pitcher has to be able to do.
The Cubs have a plethora now of guys that can throw hard. Now they need to get people out consistently.
Thanks for reading.