The Chicago Cubs are trying to finish out their regular season strong before going on what they hope is a lengthy playoff run. However, Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals was an utter disaster for the North Siders.
Chicago entered the ninth inning holding a 3-1 lead. Danny Palencia was called on for the save. Instead, the right-hander allowed five runs without even recording an out, leading to the Cubs shockingly losing 6-3.
Fans won't accept any kind of excuse for the ninth inning implosion. However, it now appears that Palencia may have suffered an injury in the process, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“Cubs closer Danny Palencia, after giving up 5 runs in the 9th, is being tested for tightness in his posterior right shoulder,” Nightengale wrote.
While Palencia's blow up paints a dark cloud over his name, losing him for a significant amount of time would be a major blow for the Cubs. Entering Sunday's game, the closer held a 2.16 ERA and a 57/15 K/BB ratio alongside 22 saves. Ryan Pressly is the only other Chicago pitcher to record more than two saves in 2025, and he is now a free agent.
As a whole, the Cubs rank 12th in bullpen ERA with a 3.94 mark. For as woeful as his outing against the Nationals was, losing Palencia long-term would be much more scary for the Cubs long-term.
While Chicago's season has been filled with drama, a strong playoff run would erase any concerns from earlier in the campaign. However, if Sunday is a sight of what's to come, the Cubs are in serious danger.
