When your favourite crew’s nearer is invited to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, you possibly can’t assume he’ll even be the nearer for his nationwide crew. The rosters are loaded, and typically you see him wind up with a gaggle of many nearer sorts, anticipated to fulfill his duties in the fifth or sixth innings.
It has been cool due to this fact – and I’m positive rewarding for him – to see Daniel Palencia get to shut out wins for Team Venezuela, as he did final night time to ship them to the WBC Final in opposition to crew USA:
TICKET PUNCHED
TEAM VENEZUELA IS HEADING TO THE #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSIC FINAL FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! pic.twitter.com/Ulmy4XqqVK
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 17, 2026
THIS. #WorldBaseballClassic https://t.co/yw8BARDsXy pic.twitter.com/zZF7sZiDAZ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 17, 2026
That was Palencia’s seventh strikeout over his 4 innings in the WBC, having allowed zero runs, zero hits, and only one stroll.
I’m undecided if Palencia shall be eligible to pitch in tonight’s last (7pm CT on FOX), however I do consider the solely limitation on back-to-backs for relievers is that if the pitcher goes over 30 pitches.
In different phrases, it’s not unimaginable we’ll see Daniel Palencia on the market in some unspecified time in the future going through Pete Crow-Armstrong or Alex Bregman in the WBC Final.
Ultimately, after health, it’s precisely what you hope for when these guys go to the WBC. For Palencia, you hope it’s a chance to face a few of the greatest in the world, and then head into the MLB common season having confirmed all the extra to himself that he can pitch in opposition to anybody. No matter what may occur on any given night time, he is aware of for positive he’s one in all the greatest relievers in the world, and that confidence can vastly serve a better.
