CHICAGO — The radar gun can tell you a lot about a pitcher’s stuff.

Outside sources can use advanced data and information to quantify it, too.

But sometimes, hearing it from a veteran peer — as Chicago Cubs right-hander Daniel Palencia learned — is that extra boost that’s needed.

That’s what World Series-winning closer Ryan Pressly did for Palencia this year. The 36-year-old veteran pulled aside his young teammate one day and delivered a simple message.

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“‘You’re too nasty, so just keep your s–t in the zone, and that’s it,’” Palencia said in English, emphasizing Pressly’s message.

The 25-year-old worked on the mental side of the game last offseason, reminding himself of what he’s capable of with a fastball that can hit triple digits. He spent time with a sports psychologist who delivered messages to help him regain his mojo and love for the game, which had waned a bit during a challenging 2024 campaign.

But Palencia still had to improve on the physical side of things in 2025. He had a better mental approach, for sure, but results needed to happen — and it started with Pressly’s message, which Palencia came to believe in, too.

“When you realize how good your stuff is, you can always attack hitters and be aggressive in the zone,” Palencia said.

Palencia’s four-seam fastball has averaged 98.7 mph this season, which would rank seventh among all pitchers, per Baseball Savant, if he were qualified. Palencia needed to attack hitters and be in the strike zone with that kind of velocity. He’s done a better job of that this season and has a 2.70 ERA across 6.2 innings in five appearances.

On Wednesday, Palencia was brought in with a one-run lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman due up. A tall task, but Palencia worked around a leadoff walk to post a zero. Two of those outs were flyballs to center field, but the Cubs are OK with contact, given the strength of their defense.

“I think the most important thing Daniel’s been doing so far is he’s been attacking the strike zone. That’s No. 1,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before Friday’s series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. “That’s put him in a pretty good position. We played good defense the other night. That’s part of it, too.

“But we can’t play good defense with walks. So, he’s doing a good job, and I think in the strike zone, it’s going to give him confidence, No. 1, and No. 2 … it’s the way for him to pitch.”

That’s leading to success and opportunities for Palencia to pitch in leverage situations as he did Wednesday — which is what he wants.

Palencia was in a similar situation in his first appearance of the season. He relieved Shota Imanaga on April 15 in San Diego, in a 1-1 tie, with Gavin Sheets, Yuli Gurriel and José Iglesias due up in the sixth inning. Palencia went 1-2-3, and the Cubs went on to win the game in extra innings.

“Honestly, super happy that the manager gave me confidence in that situation and to be able to resolve it,” Palencia said in Spanish. “That’s what I want for my career, to be able to help the team in those situations. I prepared myself for that.”

Palencia picked up the final three outs in Friday’s 4-0 win over the Phillies — not a save situation but still a leverage situation, and a scenario he hopes to be in more regularly. He prepared himself for that.

It started in the offseason and has continued in spring training, in Japan during the MLB Tokyo Series and at Triple-A before he was called up.

“It’s about visualizing yourself in that situation and talking to yourself and realizing that you can do it,” Palencia said. “We’re the 1 percent that is here out of the so many that are down [in the minors]. It’s realizing all that has happened and not letting the game accelerate on you.

“At the end of the day, as a pitcher, you’re the one that has control in that moment. I think that was the most important thing that I took. While I’m there, I’m the one that has control. Until I throw, the game doesn’t continue.”