There was a strong chance the Chicago Cubs were going to replace Daniel Palencia as the team’s closer this offseason.

Notable closers like Robert Suarez, Edwin Diaz, Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Helsley, and Devin Williams were all free agents, and the Cubs were reportedly interested in a few of those relievers. After landing none of them, Palencia is in line to be Chicago’s closer again in 2026.

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With former Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks being the last solid closer available on the open market, he’s the only person standing in the way of Palencia losing his closer job. However, an expected multi-year deal for Fairbanks could draw the Cubs away.

That means Palencia will almost certainly stay as Chicago’s primary closer next season. It’s a role that he thrived in last year, and he is absolutely the best option for the team in that ninth-inning role.

The hard-throwing right-hander struggled a bit in his first two Major League seasons, but he broke out in a big way during the 2025 season. Once the team called him up in the middle of April, Palencia showed his potential right away.

He allowed just two runs in his first 15 innings pitched before eventually earning the closer job in the middle of May. In that closer role, Palencia converted 15 of his first 16 save opportunities to go with an impressive 1.46 ERA and 27 strikeouts during this stretch.

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Although he had some late-season struggles in that role — which could be related to a shoulder injury — Palencia is the perfect reliever to close out games for the Cubs. He has one of the best fastballs in the game, and his elite strikeout rate is what you want from a closer.

The 25-year-old finished in the 80th percentile or better in expected ERA (3.31), average fastball velocity (99.6 mph), strikeout rate (28.4%), and barrel rate (4.4%) this past year. He also ranked second among all pitchers in 100+ mph pitches thrown across the 2025 season with 224.

So, Palencia is the right closer for the Cubs. He has had success closing out games in the past and finished his breakout campaign with a 2.91 ERA, 61 strikeouts, and 22 saves across 52 ⅔ innings pitched.

With one full dominant season under his belt, fans should expect Palencia to be even more consistent on the mound in 2026. He has a lethal fastball/slider combo, and his splitter has given opposing left-handed hitters fits when he throws it.

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That’s enough reason to be confident in Palencia at the backend of the bullpen.

This isn’t another Adbert Alzolay situation, when he struggled in his second year as the Cubs’ closer in 2024. Palencia should only improve in his first full season as the team’s closer next season.