With precious little season left for the Cubs to, sure, try to make a postseason run, but also more realistically to get certain guys some at bats or innings, the Cubs are swapping out relievers before tonight’s game.
Daniel Palencia, fresh off multiple triple-di꧋git fastball performances at Iowa, is returning to the big league bullpen. Trey Wingenter is being optioned back to Iowa.
Palencia, 24, is currently an up-down guy who has obviously shown elite-caliber stuff in brief flashes, but who has yet to demonstrate the kind of consistency (in command and in day-to-day performance, particularly on back-to-back days) necessary to stick permanently in a big league bullpen. He just kinda needs that last little bit to click. Since May 24 at Iowa, he’s had a 3.38 ERA, a 40.0% K, and 12.8% BB. He still has multiple option years remaining after this season, so he’s going to get plenty of chances yet.
Wingenter, 30, got only a very brief look from the Cubs. In some ways, he’s what Palencia could become down the road if he doesn’t quite establish himself over the next couple years: an obviously-talented reliever who is juuuuust on the cusp of being an MLB regular, but can’t quite get over the hump and/or can’t quite find the right organization. He is currently using his final option year, so Wingenter is going to be a candidate to get a preferred minor league deal this offseason, I suspect. It’s not hard to see why so many organizations have given him a chance.
Some of this swap, it should be said, is also simply about getting a fresh arm in the door. Wingenter threw 34 pitches over two innings yesterday, and would not have been available again for a couple days. The Cubs aren’t eliminated yet, so they probably want to preserve every possible edge.
