CHICAGO -- Daniel Palencia was visibly frustrated as he crouched on the mound, slamming his left hand into the dirt.

Just a few moments prior, Palencia released a 100.4 mph four-seamer that ended up way inside on Nationals first baseman Andrés Chaparro. He appeared to grimace as he finished his motion, then hunched over with his back facing the plate and let his glove hit the ground.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell and a team trainer met with Palencia behind the mound, and they walked off the field together. Just like that, in the top of the ninth in their 6-3 loss to the Nationals on Sunday at Wrigley Field, they were down a closer.

The frustration in that moment was likely two-fold for Palencia. Not only did he feel an ailment that caused him to leave the game, but he had just recorde

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