It might be too early to consider a long-term contract for Cubs closer Daniel Palencia — and yes, I’m calling him “closer” because I have no doubt he’ll be back in that role in 2026.

Palencia had a shoulder issue during the 2025 season, and might have come back sooner than most would have wanted. He did record outs after he returned, including in the postseason, but his velocity seemed down a tick and he wasn’t striking out guys the way he did before the “issue.”

So maybe your answer is “don’t give him any sort of extension.” And that might indeed be the correct answer.

What I’m going to propose here assumes that Palencia is 100 percent healthy to start the 2026 season and is set to be the team’s closer.

The Cubs have five more years of team control for Palencia, so maybe you’re thinki

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