New Headline: Venezuelan batsman secures sweeping victory as he dominates international baseball tournament
If you’re a Cubs fan, Daniel Palencia just did you a favor – he made the bullpen look inevitable. Palencia closed out the World Baseball Classic championship for Venezuela with a perfect ninth inning against Team USA, earning his third save of the tournament. He ended it with a 99.
7 mph fastball for the title-winning strikeout – because of course he did. That’s what closers do when the lights are hot and the moment is heavy – they don’t blink. Clutch When It Mattered Most: Mar 17, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Venezuela pitcher Daniel Palencia (29) throws a pitch against the United States in the ninth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game at loanDepot Park.
Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The best part – this wasn’t a one-night cameo. Palencia pitched three times in four days during the knockout stage and still looked fresh enough to throw gas at the end of the line. He needed 11 pitches to finish the final, and across those three late appearances, he threw 39 total pitches.
That’s workload, pressure, and execution stacked. – and he handled it like a boss. His velocity wasn’t fake either.
Reports out of the WBC had his fastball averaging 98. 1 mph against the U. S.