Daniel Palencia Got a Win, Then Landed on the IL, and Cubs Fans Should Be Terrified

Can you even believe this? Just when the Chicago Cubs pull off a wild 5-4 comeback victory against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night, with reliever Daniel Palencia pitching a clutch ninth inning, the dude immediately hits the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation! You read that right. He struck out three batters to get the win, his second of the season, and now his arm is cooked. What a brutal turn of events, it's gotta be an absolute gut punch for their fans.

Palencia's Arm Gave Out After Delivering the W

This whole situation with Palencia (2-1, 2.70 ERA) is just bonkers. Think about it: Monday night, he walks the first batter he faces in the ninth. Cubs manager Craig Counsell, rightly concerned, goes to the mound with a trainer to check on him. But Palencia stays in, finishes the inning like a champ, striking out three to seal the deal after the Cubs put up two runs in the bottom half. Pure hero stuff, right? Only, it wasn't. Counsell later admitted, "I was just concerned that the body language wasn't normal." Turns out, Palencia said he was fine in the moment, but the symptoms hit hard afterward. "The elbow didn't feel great afterward and didn't feel great today," Counsell confirmed. That's a rough scene when your guy fights through it for the team only for his body to betray him right after. To fill his spot, the Cubs recalled Gavin Hollowell, a 28-year-old who's seen one appearance this season, giving

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up two runs in 1 2/3 innings. Not exactly the shot in the arm they need.

Cubs Pitching Staff Is Pushed to the Brink

And Palencia isn't alone in the Cubs' trainer's room. This is becoming a full-blown crisis for their rotation and bullpen. Starter Matthew Boyd, who's been dealing with a knee issue, is finally headed for a minor league rehab stint after a solid bullpen session. That's a glimmer of hope, but then there's Justin Steele. He's back with the team to start a three-week throwing program after elbow surgery, trying to come back from a flexor strain. Counsell is holding onto hope for Steele this season, saying, "He's got runway. He can't afford any setbacks. But we've got time." That "no setbacks" part is the kicker, isn't it? It sounds like they're walking on eggshells. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer didn't mince words about the sheer volume of injured pitchers, including Boyd, Steele, Caleb Horton, and Jamieson Taillon, adding up to eight guys on the IL. He said their pitching depth is "pushed to the limit." "We thought we had real numbers there, and then the number of injuries took care of it," Hoyer stated. "Now we have to be creative." "Creative" is one word for it. They're going to need to pull some serious magic tricks to keep that pitching staff afloat. With Palencia now joining the IL and the rest of the staff a walking injury report, the Cubs are in a tough spot early in the season. They've got to find answers, and fast, before this spiraling injury bug completely derails their chances this year.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.