MILWAUKEE — As the game progressed Tuesday, Cubs right-hander Daniel Palencia didn’t expect to make his major-league debut. It was a close game, so manager David Ross figured to call on more experienced arms.
Then the Brewers tied the score in the ninth inning and the game went into extra innings. Ross was running out of bullpen options and turned to the hard-throwing Palencia.
‘‘My mindset was, ‘I’m a monster,’ ’’ Palencia said after throwing two scoreless innings in the Cubs’ 7-6 victory at American Family Field. ‘‘ ‘I’m going to win this game. See the glove, hit the glove.’ ’’
The Cubs selected Palencia’s contract from Triple-A Iowa before the game and optioned right-hander Hayden Wesneski to Iowa to stretch him out as a starting option and clear a spot on the active roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred reliever Brad Boxberger (strained right forearm) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
The Cubs also put infielder Nick Madrigal on the 10-day IL with a strained right hamstring and activated utility player Patrick Wisdom (sprained right wrist).
The Cubs originally acquired Palencia with outfielder Greg Deichmann from the Athletics for left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin in a deal at the trade deadline in 2021.
The Cubs had been contemplating moving Palencia and his 100 mph fastball to the bullpen and finally committed to the change in May. They moved him from Double-A Tennessee to their spring-training complex in Arizona to begin the transition.
‘‘I was thinking, ‘This is a big chance for me,’ ’’ Palencia said. ‘‘ ‘The bullpen needs help. I think I can be that guy to make the team better.’ ’’
After Palencia spent a few weeks in Arizona, the Cubs promoted him to Iowa. He posted a 7.90 ERA there, but almost all of those runs came in three high-scoring appearances out of 13 outings.
‘‘We’ve been talking about it for a bit,’’ president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said of calling up Palencia. ‘‘Do I think his transition is absolutely complete? No. I think it’s going to take time. He’s still learning how to do the bullpen role and things like that. But we felt like he’s a guy that it was the right time to see what he can do up here.’’
It’s hard to imagine a better debut.
‘‘Phenomenal job,’’ Ross said after the game. ‘‘That environment the first time out, to calm the nerves, the place is on its feet.’’
Palencia entered the game in the bottom of the 10th with the score tied and the automatic extra-innings runner on second base.
In the next two innings, he generated a flyout, fielded a grounder himself and induced a pair of unique double plays made possible by spot-on throws by left fielder Ian Happ.
‘‘If there was any kind of debut to speed up on you, it would be that, right?’’ second baseman Nico Hoerner said. ‘‘It’s not going to be too much crazier than that. So just a really nice signal about what kind of personality he has and just excited to have him around.’’
