Prior to their Sunday afternoon home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Chicago Cubs activated closer Daniel Palencia from the 15-day injured list.
Palencia was placed on the IL April 17 due to a left oblique strain. The hard-throwing right-hander tuned up for his return by throwing 19 pitches for Triple-A Iowa on Friday. He hit triple digits with nine pitches, including a best of 102 mph.
The 26-year-old posted a 1-0 record and one save over five appearances for the Cubs before going on the shelf. He allowed no runs in five innings with three hits, two walks and five whiffs.
During March, Palencia helped Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic. He ripped off five hitless appearances and registered three saves, which included the gold-medal game against the United States when he fanned Kyle Schwarber and Roman Anthony to preserve a 3-2 victory.
To make room for Palencia, right-handed reliever Yacksel Rios was designated for assignment. The 32-year-old veteran made the most of his first MLB appearance since 2023 by throwing 1 2/3 perfect innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 26.
