The Chicago Cubs welcomed back relief pitcher Daniel Palencia to their active roster on Sunday, removing him from the 15-day injured list ahead of their home matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Palencia had been sidelined since April 17 after suffering a strain to his left oblique muscle. The powerful right-handed pitcher prepared for his comeback by pitching for the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate Iowa on Friday, delivering 19 pitches with nine reaching triple-digit speeds, topped by a 102 mph fastball.
Before his injury, the 26-year-old reliever appeared in five games for Chicago, recording one win and one save while maintaining a perfect earned run average. Over five innings of work, he surrendered just three hits and two walks while striking out five batters.
Earlier this year in March, Palencia contributed to Venezuela’s championship run in the World Baseball Classic. He delivered five consecutive scoreless outings and earned three saves during the tournament, including a crucial performance in the gold medal game against Team USA where he struck out Kyle Schwarber and Roman Anthony to secure Venezuela’s 3-2 victory.
The Cubs made roster space for Palencia’s return by removing veteran reliever Yacksel Rios from the 40-man roster. The 32-year-old Rios had made his first major league appearance since 2023 on April 26, pitching 1 2/3 perfect innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
