Cubs closer Daniel Palencia is close to returning, but the team might not rush the right-hander back into his high-leverage role.
Palencia, who went on the injured list with left oblique strain on April 14, was scheduled to pitch in a rehab assignment for Triple-A Iowa on Friday night in St. Paul, Minnesota, manager Craig Counsell said before the Cubs’ 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.
It may be a one-appearance tune-up for Palencia, who last took the mound on April 12 against Pittsburgh and earned a win by tossing a scoreless ninth as the Cubs rallied for a victory.
“Optimistic we can get him back here after that outing, if all things go well,” Counsell said.
Asked if Palencia will return immediately as the closer, Counsell said, “He’ll go back to getting outs. We’ve got to get Danny pitching. We want to get him pitching a lot. He’s got five innings right now.”
Palencia, who had 22 saves in a breakout 2025, made five appearances this season — each one inning — before getting hurt. The 26-year-old from Venezuela is 1-0 with one save, and hasn’t allowed a run so far in 2026 on three hits, while striking out five and walking two.
Left-hander reliever Caleb Thielbar and righty Hunter Harvey have been throwing and progressing toward a return as the Cubs pitching staff inches back after losing nine pitchers to injuries of all types since the start of spring.
Thielbar, who went out with a left hamstring strain last week, may be close to returning. Harvey, sidelined since April 9 with right triceps inflammation, is further off, according to Counsell.
Pain everywhere
The Cubs have lost pitchers to all type of injuries — not just damaged arms — and that’s what has President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer’s head spinning as much as the sheer number of casualties.
“We’ve had knees and back and lats and elbow and shoulders, so it’s no
