Cubs’ late-inning bullpen puzzle: Daniel Palencia back soon, Jacob Webb dominates, Ryan Zeferjahn gets hit
<p><b>Craig Counsell</b> has already made it clear he plans to keep using <b>Jacob Webb</b> as the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a>’ go-to reliever.</p><p>“There’s nobody I’d rather have out there,” the skipper said after the righty stretched his streak of scoreless appearances to 22 games Monday.</p><p>But there is a late-inning bullpen puzzle to put together as the season’s most important games get closer and playoff baseball casts a glaring spotlight on high-leverage moments.</p><p><b>Daniel Palencia</b> is due back in the coming days. Counsell didn’t get any more specific than saying that Palencia will be activated from the injured list “soon,” but the righty fireballer’s minor league rehab assignment is done at the end of a two-month stay on the IL with elbow inflammation.</p><p>The manager previously said <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/05/cubs-daniel-palencia-jacob-webb-closer-craig-counsell-injury-rehab-kevin-gausman-trade-blue-jays-nl-central-standings-brewers" >the Cubs will be “flexible” deploying Palencia</a>, who has only logged 16⅔ innings this season, and trying to grow that number is Priority No.
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<p><b>Craig Counsell</b> has already made it clear he plans to keep using <b>Jacob Webb</b> as the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a>’ go-to reliever.</p><p>“There’s nobody I’d rather have out there,” the skipper said after the righty stretched his streak of scoreless appearances to 22 games Monday.</p><p>But there is a late-inning bullpen puzzle to put together as the season’s most important games get closer and playoff baseball casts a glaring spotlight on high-leverage moments.</p><p><b>Daniel Palencia</b> is due back in the coming days. Counsell didn’t get any more specific than saying that Palencia will be activated from the injured list “soon,” but the righty fireballer’s minor league rehab assignment is done at the end of a two-month stay on the IL with elbow inflammation.</p><p>The manager previously said <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/05/cubs-daniel-palencia-jacob-webb-closer-craig-counsell-injury-rehab-kevin-gausman-trade-blue-jays-nl-central-standings-brewers" >the Cubs will be “flexible” deploying Palencia</a>, who has only logged 16⅔ innings this season, and trying to grow that number is Priority No. 1.</p><p>Plus, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/12/cubs-jacob-webb-closer-bullpen-relief-pitcher-craig-counsell-daniel-palencia-ryan-rolison-trent-thornton" >Webb’s been that good</a>, coming into Tuesday with a 2.29 ERA that ranked in the top 20 in baseball among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched this year.</p><p>Elsewhere in the ‘pen, righty <b>Ryan Zeferjahn</b> had another tough night Monday, surrendering a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning of the Cubs’ win over the White Sox.</p><p><b>Jed Hoyer</b>’s front office <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/03/cubs-ryan-zeferjahn-bullpen-moises-ballesteros-trade-deadline-angels" >made Zeferjahn its late-inning bullpen addition</a> at the trade deadline, sending young slugger <b>Moises Ballesteros</b> to the Angels to net a reliable high-leverage arm. But Zeferjahn has given up five runs in six appearances since the trade, with an 8.44 ERA in 5⅓ innings as a Cub.</p><p>“We’ve seen what we thought we’d see,” Counsell said Tuesday.
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- What's the story?
- <p><b>Craig Counsell</b> has already made it clear he plans to keep using <b>Jacob Webb</b> as the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a>’ go-to reliever.</p><p>“There’s nobody I’d rather have out there,” the skipper said after the righty stretched his streak of scoreless appearances to 22 games Monday.</p><p>But there is a late-inning bullpen puzzle to put together as the season’s most important games get closer and playoff baseball casts a glaring spotlight on high-leverage moments.</p><p><b>Daniel Palencia</b> is due back in the coming days. Counsell didn’t get any more specific than saying that Palencia will be activated from the injured list “soon,” but the righty fireballer’s minor league rehab assignment is done at the end of a two-month stay on the IL with elbow inflammation.</p><p>The manager previously said <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/05/cubs-daniel-palencia-jacob-webb-closer-craig-counsell-injury-rehab-kevin-gausman-trade-blue-jays-nl-central-standings-brewers" >the Cubs will be “flexible” deploying Palencia</a>, who has only logged 16⅔ innings this season, and trying to grow that number is Priority No.
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- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
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Cubs’ late-inning bullpen puzzle: Daniel Palencia back soon, Jacob Webb dominates, Ryan Zeferjahn gets hit
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times