Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show
Cubs closer Daniel Palencia talks 2026 expectations, WBC experience
26 Mar 2026
Chapter 1: What exciting moments did Daniel Palencia experience during the World Baseball Classic?
Rahimi Harrison-Grody, middays 10 to 2 on 104.3 The Score. 1 and 2 the count, 2 outs. 3-2 Venezuela, U.S. batting last of the ninth. Valencia set, the 1-2 pitch, swing and a miss!
Venezuela wins the WBC! Wait for it. There it is, courtesy of Sirius XM. That was Daniel Polencia throwing the gasolina to close out the World Baseball Classic. This is Rahimi Harrison-Grody as we get you ready for Cubs baseball. We are coming to you live here from Sluggers on the north side. Very happy to do so.
Zach Zademan will be here for the official pregame show coming up in our next segment. This is all brought to you by our friends with Circus Sports, sports betting the way it should be with no bet fees. Now let's go to Wrigley Field and our Bruce Levine, who is joined by the man who threw that pitch you just heard, Daniel Palencia.
Chapter 2: How did the WBC experience impact Daniel Palencia's growth as a player?
Okay, I'm down on the field here with Daniel Palencia before the game. Daniel, we got to talk about the WBC and that experience. How far do you think that took you as a player and as a person?
uh super far you know like i i take all the to all those memories to to to get better you know like i just thought we concert about that like we can use that like those bad moments like just trying to come back and i just and just say say it to myself and like i can do this So yeah, it was great. It was awesome. Great experience on another level.
Like for me, just I can, I had no words to describe that. Just really proud.
What did the experience of hearing counsel at the beginning of spring training tell you you're the closer? What did that mean to you?
It means a lot, you know, like this is my dream. I want to be there. I want to help the team. I want to win a World Series.
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Chapter 3: What does being named the closer mean for Daniel Palencia's career?
So for me, having that confidence of the manager, it's just awesome for me. It's great to hear that from them and I'm here to support the team.
What did you work on most this spring? You know, you talked about the breaking ball, but, you know, we know you have one of the best fastballs in baseball, but where's the breaking ball at, and how is that being used by you now?
I think the most important thing I worried was just getting healthy, you know, getting ready. And, yeah, right now I'm trying to use more of my speeder in the corners and just trying to put the fastball wherever I want and just executing my plan attack.
What is opening day and how the fans react at Wrigley Field? What does that mean to you?
I mean, it's awesome. It's a dream come true. First opening day, just here with the Cubs, with the East 30 team. For me, it's just a dream come true. I feel like a kid right now. Just enjoying every moment and just taking memories.
Daniel, have a great year.
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Chapter 4: What specific skills did Palencia focus on improving during spring training?
Thank you so much, okay? Daniel Palencia down in the field. Now back to you at Sluggers.
Thank you, Bruce. Good to hear from Daniel Palencia, who I know will be ready for this game if he has to come in in a possible safe situation. I know, Mark, you're on the record with saying you would like to see a close game because you want to know how this bullpen shakes out.
Yeah, and let's hope that Daniel Palencia has everything together, that what he did, which was great in the World Baseball Classic, hasn't affected him in any way, shape, or form because now it is about the team, which pays him. And it is, as I've said a number of times, it is so nice to know, even if we don't know...
in the bullpen at this moment that for the first time in a few years we know exactly who the closer is going to be and i can't wait to see that let i loved hearing him talk about fastball command essentially working the corners of the plate which is going to be really nice to see so i'm very excited to see what daniel palencia is going to do this year nice job by bruce levine for me the world baseball classic is about two things when it comes to palencia it's about his confidence number one
He should be as confident as he's been in his entire professional baseball career based on how that run went for him personally and what he was able to accomplish with his team. And to see that happen in the manner that it did and understand...
where he is mentally and where he appears to be in terms of turning that into a successful run now as the cubs closer that's great but also the other thing is usage i need to know that this man is going to be okay over the course of 162 yeah and i'm very curious as to how tommy hadavi craig council get together and decide when he's going to get breaks if they are as successful as we think they're going to be we all have them winning 90 plus games
Let's hear some more from pregame action. Craig Council spoke earlier, and he gave an update on Seiya Suzuki.
Well, minimum stint would be the last day on the homestand, so I'm not expecting that.
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Chapter 5: How does Daniel Palencia feel about the atmosphere on opening day at Wrigley Field?
So more than that. Look, we have to make progress. You know, we are making progress. I think this is a part where the last step is going to be the hardest part to get to. And so, you know, I don't, you know, we've got some goals that we're trying to hit. And then if we hit them every day, we kind of take it to the next step. But so far, so good. So far, he's accomplished all the goals.
So more than six games, basically, is what he's saying. And Marshall, I am on board with what you have been saying, and I am right on that wavelength of take your time. Take your time with, say, you've got guys that are lining up to fill in. Matthew Shaw gets the start in right field today. Ultimately, you have to have, say, a Suzuki. He is the number one option, obviously, out of those guys.
But you can afford to be without him.
Chapter 6: What are the expectations for the Cubs this season according to Daniel Palencia?
And as I have said now multiple times, schedule light to begin the season.
No, I completely agree. I think we're all in agreement. It is okay to get your reps in right field if you're Matt Shaw. Right now, when the weather is tricky, and when the ballpark you know is playing smaller, and when you're facing teams that may be a better opportunity in your schedule. Craig Council also talked about Pete Crow Armstrong, now that he got his extension, and that stability.
Craig, the Cubs have had 14 games. different center fielders on opening day since 2000. What does it mean to a manager to have a degree of certainty now in the middle of the diamond? Is there something about that position that takes its toll on players?
Yeah, I mean, there is. I mean, it requires a... It's a position that requires a high level of athleticism. And, you know, with Pete, you know, I think we have... You know, I think the player who was the best defender in the world last year, or in baseball, however you want to say it, you know, played center field for the Chicago Cubs. And that's a big deal.
Chapter 7: How does the Cubs coaching staff plan to manage player workloads this season?
It's a position that defensively can make a huge impact on games, and I think we saw that a lot. So having Pete on our side and having him around is important to our success, and it's wins. A guy like that is wins. He's got another challenge ahead of him now, but he's ready for it.
I love that we're measuring things by wins and outs, basically. That guy gets me outs. This guy gets me shares of wins, and let's add it all up, and maybe we can exceed the Pocota, if you will.
I need him to also think about getting hits that score runs. Okay. Not just collecting outs in center field, not just getting a strikeout, although, yes, those things are very important.
Well, I guess it's nice that Council is not, maybe it's by design, not putting the big pressure on. We know what PCA is good at, and we'll let him tell us, show us the rest with the bat.
I think that's a very nice way of putting it.
Yeah, like don't put all the pressure in the world on him, although he is hitting cleanup today. So there is a certain expectation.
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Chapter 8: What challenges do the Cubs face with several players heading into free agency?
Maybe not like it was for the old days of hitting cleanup. It doesn't mean the same as it once did, hitting cleanup, but it still means something.
No, I think it does. But I did say that I felt this way about Michael Bush, though. I also wanted Michael Bush to not bat leadoff, but rather hit with somebody on base. Because I like his power potential.
Layla, he's the guy. When you were off, we did a segment on who are you most sure about, who are you least sure about. Michael Bush is the guy that I am most sure about on this roster. He was the steadiest offensive player last year for the Cubs, I thought. My guy was Nico.
Yeah. But I feel like both of those are fair. When you consider Michael Bush's home runs, when you consider Nico Horner's average, both of those are really good assessments. I personally, me, wanted Michael Bush to hit later in the lineup because ideally somebody's on base. But as we saw, especially at times last season,
By the time they got to Michael Bush, not enough people were on base or they weren't hitting enough to make contact at times. So I get it. I don't love it, but I get it. Court counsel also talked about the challenges with having a number of players that will be hitting free agency after this season.
Are there any extra challenges for a team, for a coaching staff and a manager that has a team with so many would-be free agents going into next year?
Yeah, I mean, look, we all have, I think the message with this is, look, you work really hard to be on a team like this. And so be where your feet are and enjoy the heck out of that. And be proud that you get to walk into this clubhouse every day with the goals that we have. And be thankful for that and grateful for that. Because that's hard to do. It's hard to get to that place.
All of us are worrying about something in the future. All of us. Everybody in here is worrying about something in the future. So that's one thing to worry about. Some other guys got other things to worry about. You know what I mean?
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