Cubs Rumors: Daniel Palencia rise doesn’t stop Cubs from eyeing back-end arm

Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma went into detail about the Cubs identifying current closer Daniel Palencia as a prospect they wanted to target as part of their 2021 sell-off. Palencia was acquired by the Cubs as part of the Andrew Chafin trade with the Athletics, and above all else, what caught the eye of the front office was the fact 25-year-old could hit triple digits with his fastball.

Palencia's breakout with the Cubs this season is one of the reasons why concerns over the team's bullpen have quieted down. Palencia entered this week with an ERA of 1.71 while striking out over 28 percent of the batters he has faced this season.

Before this season, command issues seemed to be the reason why Palencia's time with the Cubs' organization was expected by many to come to an end, but learning from their mistakes of the past, the front office did not give up on the velocity that Palencia has. A secret to his success this season is that Palencia's command issues from past seasons have seen improvement. Palencia is walking under nine percent of the hitters he has faced this season, quite the improvement from his career mark of 11.9 percent.

Adding a closer still on the table despite Daniel Palencia’s rise

Despite the success Palencia has had this season, Mooney and Sharma wrap up their piece with an important reminder.

"Palencia doesn’t have a track record in the playoffs or a full major-league season on his resume. The Cubs are planning to look at the entire pitching market and get creative at the July 31 trade deadline, which means they aren’t ruling out adding another closer. But the Cubs are in a position to think big because this dude throws 100"

When it comes to the moves the Cubs can make ahead of the deadline, nothing should be left to chance. If the Cubs have a chance to add an established high-leverage relief pitcher, say Aroldis Chapman, there should be an inclination from the front office to make that move.

Fortifying a strength at the deadline is the type of move that takes a team from being a division leader to a World Series contender. The bullpen has certainly turned into a strength for the Cubs this season, and at the deadline, they have a chance to double down on that success.

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