NL Central: Who will close down the stretch in Chicago?
Sep 13 2025
The Cubs started the season with a question mark regarding who would close games, but their offensive output resulted in wins despite some of the best (or worst) efforts of Porter Hodge and Ryan Pressly. As the season progressed, the Cubs fell off their historic offensive pace, but they also found stability at the back of the bullpen with Brad Keller in the eighth and Daniel Palencia closing games in the ninth.
Palencia hit the injured list with a shoulder strain on Sunday, and while shoulder injuries are always tricky, after Friday's day game, Manager Craig Counsell said his progression was good. He also noted Palencia played catch successfully on Friday. That's great news for a Cubs team with hopes of October baseball;...
Almost!
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