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3 players who don't deserve to be back - 1. Daniel Palencia
Last but not least, we come to the bullpen and land on Daniel Palencia. I love the heater Palencia possesses, and he has flashed late-inning reliever stuff. However, It's clear he is not quite ready, and it would bode well for him to further work on his command in Iowa next season to begin the year. In 28.1 innings, Palencia walked 14 batters. Though he was the victim of a little bad luck with a 4.00 FIP compared to a 4.45 ERA, Palencia is missing something that can take him to that next level.
In a regular scenario, you let Palencia figure it out at the major league level. However, 2024 must be a profound turning point for the Cubs regarding returning to consistent postseason contention. His 10.5 K/9 shows his potential; it just all circles back to the team needing to add as many vital pieces as possible this winter. The Cubs already have Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather, and Mark Leiter Jr. Given the depth of the starting rotation, there's a strong chance guys like Javier Assad may start in the bullpen as well. Determining the rest of the bullpen will be based on something other than players who still have work. That being said, Palencia has high potential in the future, and it will be interesting to see how he can turn the corner, even if that means he will start in the minors next year.