Height
5'11"
Weight
160 lbs
Age
26
College
N/A
Experience
3 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/R
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsB+
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 92 | 3.8172414 | 6-10 | 111 | 1.2827587 | 0.0 | 23 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
AAV
$780K/yr
Contract Value Index (CVI)
Daniel Palencia's one-year, $0.8M deal with the Cubs earns an A CVI, representing outstanding value for an above-average relief pitcher in today's inflated bullpen market. With setup men routinely commanding $8-12M annually and even middling relievers pushing $4-5M, securing Palencia's services at near-minimum salary is a coup for Chicago's front office. The Cubs are clearly betting on his ability to provide 60-70 innings of quality relief work while maintaining financial flexibility during their competitive window push. At this price point, Palencia only needs to deliver roughly 0.5-1.0 WAR to justify the investment, a remarkably low bar for a pitcher of his caliber. The short-term nature of the deal also allows the organization to evaluate his fit within their bullpen hierarchy without long-term commitment, while Palencia gets an opportunity to showcase his skills for a potentially lucrative payday next offseason. This is exactly the type of shrewd, low-risk signing that championship-contending teams should be making.
Performance Analysis
Daniel Palencia grades as an All-Star caliber performer among MLB relief pitchers, earning a B+ Performance grade. He carries a 3.86 ERA (near the league average of 4.20) and a 1.28 WHIP across 95.2 innings pitched with a 10.4 K/9 rate. His 6-10 record with 23 saves provides context on team support and run prevention. His strikeout rate of 10.4 per nine innings ranks among the best in the league, showing dominant swing-and-miss ability. As a player entering his prime window at 26, Daniel is a key contributor for the Cubs.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 4/5 | @ CLE | W 1-0 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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