Two Players the Cubs Should Be Careful With in 2026

The Chicago Cubs enter the 2026 MLB season as National League Central favorites, despite the Milwaukee Brewers winning four of the last five division titles.

With Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner and now Alex Bregman, it's hard to envision any NL Central contenders taking down the Cubs.

That said, how Craig Counsell manages Chicago's pitching staff will play a huge role in their success.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Last season, left-hander Matthew Boyd saw serious regression in the second half of the year due to fatigue that came from pitching his first 170+ inning season since 2019. From March to July, Boyd made 17 appearances with a 2.65 ERA. From July until the end of the season, Boyd's ERA increased by more than a full run (3.78).

With that in mind, here are two high-velocity arms that Counsell should be careful with heading into the 2026 season.

Daniel Palencia

Relievers' workloads can be tough to manage due to the unpredictability of when they may be needed. However, the Cubs should be cautious when it comes to Palencia's workload for multiple reasons.

To begin with, Palencia threw a career-high 55 2/3 innings last season. Prior to 2025, Palencia had not reached 30 innings in a single season throughout his young MLB career.

Daniel Palencia | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Additionally, Palencia put more stress on his arm than most did this spring. Although Palenica was dominant for Venezuela, sealing their World Baseball Classic victory over Team USA, it's worth noting that the Cubs' star reliever made five high-leverage appearances.

While the organization is right for letting him represent his country with the tournament on the line, these extra innings should be at the back of Counsell's mind when trying to give his bullpen rest ahead of a deep playoff run.

Edward Cabrera

Edward Cabrera burst onto the scene last year, posting his most effective and durable season by far with the Miami Marlins in 2025. He finished the campaign with a 3.53 ERA, a career-high 26 starts and 137 2/3 innings pitched.

Before 2025, Cabrera had never reached 100 innings in parts of four seasons prior.

Considering that the Cubs hope Cabrera will exceed 137 innings and 26 starts in 2026, the increase in workload is something that Chicago's staff needs to keep an eye on.

Similar to Boyd, the Cubs would hate to see Cabrera hit a wall in the second half of the year due to fatigue.

If Chicago is able to monitor both Palencia and Cabrera's innings pitched throughout the season and build in time to rest, they could be X-factors in the postseason as a result. If not, Chicago's staff could potentially fizzle out before they make it that far.