ATLANTA -- After Cubs closer Daniel Palencia landed on the injured list due to a shoulder injury earlier this week, manager Craig Counsell said this was not a situation where other relievers needed to step up. The way Counsell viewed things, the group just had to move forward with the same mentality on display all season.
In a 3-2 win over the Braves on Wednesday night at Truist Park, the Cubs’ bullpen covered 14 outs behind Jameson Taillon in his first outing back from the 15-day IL. Counsell used Brad Keller for a high-leverage appearance in the eighth inning, and he answered the bell. For the ninth, veteran Andrew Kittredge finished the job to notch the save.
“Covering as many outs as they did tonight just shows you the depth and the length of it,” Taillon said. “They’ve been big for us all year, and it’s not always the same guy. Everyone’s had their moments.”
With the win, the Cubs pulled within 5 1/2 games of the National League Central-leading Brewers. The North Siders are in command of the Senior Circuit’s top Wild Card spot.
One of the stories of the season has been Palencia, who continued to earn bigger innings and eventually assumed the primary closing duties by mid-summer. On Sunday against the Nationals, the hard-throwing righty said he felt a pop in his shoulder on the final pitch he threw, leading to his move to the 15-day IL on Monday.
“He’s pitched some really big innings for us this year,” Keller said. “You feel for him. It’s gut-wrenching. And a guy like that who’s been through a lot this year and has done an amazing job, it’s a blow to all of us.”
Palencia rested during the series in Atlanta, but may try to play light catch on Friday when the team is back in Chicago. The closer is hoping to recover well enough to rejoin the bullpen before a potential playoff run.
“For me, that’s the plan,” Palencia said. “I’m just trying to be stronger with my mindset right now. Hopefully, that’s the plan -- maybe getting back the last week and be ready for the playoffs.”
There was no anointing of a new closer in the wake of Palencia’s setback. Counsell said the group would have to find ways to make up the innings the righty was handling, but no one reliever had to feel more responsibility. And without any labels attached, the late-inning arms could be used based more on lineup pockets and matchups.
Counsell has lefties to lean on in Caleb Thielbar, Taylor Rogers and Drew Pomeranz. Keller and Kittredge are right-handers for key moments, along with Porter Hodge as he tries to rejoin the circle of trust. Chicago also has Ben Brown, Aaron Civale and Javier Assad available for length.
Keller said the flexible approach works well for this Cubs relief corps.
“It's more so just go out there and just do your job,” Keller said. “We’ve kind of kept that pass-the-baton-on mentality all year long. Next man up. Just go in there, do whatever we’re asked to do and put up a zero and pass it on to the next guy.”
Following a bout with a minor groin strain, Taillon limited the Braves to two runs -- one scored after his exit via a sacrifice fly -- over 4 1/3 innings. Counsell first handed the ball to Rogers, who was picked up at the Trade Deadline. Rogers notched three outs, working into the sixth.
Counsell then turned things over to Hodge, who has had a turbulent season, but was Chicago’s closer down the stretch a year ago as a rookie. Hodge struck out Ha-Seong Kim and Ozzie Albies, offering another promising outing.
“The way the game sequenced,” Counsell said, “I thought we found a really good spot to introduce Porter to a bigger inning. And he delivered. You absolutely take note of it.”
Thielbar, who has a 2.04 ERA in 61 appearances for the Cubs this season, retired the side in order in the seventh inning. That set things up for Keller to take over against the top of Atlanta’s lineup in the eighth.
Keller allowed one hit -- a one-out single to Matt Olson -- but navigated his way around that momentary blip. His showing gave him 21 consecutive appearances (21 1/3 innings) without allowing a run in the second half.
“We don’t talk about Brad Keller enough, I don't think,” Counsell said recently. “He’s been, really to me, the unsung hero of this team.”
Kittredge -- another Trade Deadline acquisition -- followed with three straight outs to pick up his third save since joining the Cubs.
“He pitches with a lot of confidence,” Counsell said. “He knows what he’s good at. He knows he’s going to stick to what he’s good at and execute that. And that becomes trustworthy.”