The Cubs got a double dose of good news Sunday. They activated closer Daniel Palencia (left oblique strain) from the injured list and will have second baseman Nico Hoerner (neck) back in the lineup.
Palencia, who went on the 15-day IL on April 17, made one rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa on Friday, reaching 102 mph. He threw 19 pitches, 14 for strikes, in two-thirds of an inning.
“I feel great. Excited to get back,” Palencia told the Sun-Times. “I was just trying to feel good [in the rehab outing]. And the first one that I threw, I feel everything was [good], I started to feel myself.”
Palencia is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and on save in five relief appearances this season. The Cubs also designated right-handed pitcher Yacksel Rios for assignment. Rios made one appearance, throwing 1 2/3 innings with two strikeouts April 26 at the Dodgers.
Manager Craig Counsell said Hoerner would be in the lineup, leading off, after he missed the game Saturday with tightness in his neck that suffered Friday.
“Both days, he’s done something before to test his readiness,” Counsell said. “Today, there were no symptoms. He felt really good — and the wind’s blowing out.”
Indeed, the wind is blowing straight out at almost 20 mph. Hoerner is slashing .297/.374/.835 with four home runs and 26 RBI.
The Cubs begin the day in sole possession of first place in the National League Central for the first time this season.
“This is who Shota is,” said Cubs left fielder Ian Happ, who homered in the second inning and finished a single short of the cycle.
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Palencia is on the verge of coming back from a strained oblique, and Brown pitched two perfect innings for a relief corps that has managed to get outs despite a rash of injuries.
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The Reds’ own 20-12 start should be turning heads around the league considering their top two starting pitchers — flamethrowing ace Hunter Greene and lefty Nick Lodolo — have yet to appear in a game.
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