CHICAGO — Daniel Palencia has adjusted to the closer’s role seamlessly after dropping his first save opportunity way back in May in Miami.

Still, he experienced a first on Sunday when manager Craig Counsell turned to him with two outs in the eighth and a one-run lead to protect. Palencia hadn’t recorded a save of more than three outs this season. He has four appearances of four outs or more, but this was different – a save opportunity in a tight game in a fun, Crosstown Classic against the White Sox is the kind of environment Palencia wants to be in.

He struck out Miguel Vargas to end the eighth, then talked to himself to stay ready and picked up the final three outs to preserve the 5-4 win over the White Sox on Sunday afternoon at Rate Field.

“That’s my job now,” Palencia said after the game. “So it’s just trying to make the outs, and I think that’s it. Just being there with confidence and prepared to make three outs.

“Today it was four, but that’s baseball. If they need me, I’ll be there.”

The 25-year-old started the year in the minor leagues, was called up and quickly developed into not just the team’s closer but a dominant one at that. Palencia is a perfect 14-for-14 in save opportunities and carries a 0.87 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 20.2 innings across 21 games since that blown save in Miami on May 19.

So he must be a little upset by the thought that the team could add an established reliever who could split or take his job before Thursday’s trade deadline, right?

“For me, it’s good,” Palencia said. “I’m happy to have all the help we can get, you know what I mean? The goal is to get to the World Series and win it, so the team should do what they need to do, and for me, I’ll be really happy if we bring people that will help the team.

“I’ll be there if the team needs me in the eighth inning, in the ninth, in the first, I’ll be there. I’m here to do my job.”

It’s the team-first approach Palencia is taking ahead of Thursday, though he isn’t looking too closely at that date.

That’s because the team has a pivotal, three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers starting on Monday. The two teams are tied for first atop the National League Central and will play each other eight more times before the end of the year.

“It’s going to be a good series, but I’m ready,” Palencia said. “I’m ready for everything. Just excited to be there and play the best baseball we have.”