Kyle Hendricks, the last holdout from the 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series team, is likely to start his final game as a Cub at Wrigley Field this week.
Kyle Hendricks to Start Likely Final Game as a Cub This Week
“I’m not ready to say bye to Chicago … I’m just soaking in all of these moments.”
Kyle Hendricks to @Taylor_McGregor on Cubs Live! pic.twitter.com/zQDXvIl6BI
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 23, 2024
The Man They Call “The Professor”
Hendricks, “The Professor” as he’s known in Chicago, was an eighth-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 2011. He was picked up by the Cubs in 2012 and spent two seasons rising through the ranks of the minor leagues.
Hendricks made his major league debut on July 10, 2014, against the Cincinnati Reds. He won his first game as a pro 12 days later against the San Diego Padres and later was named National League Rookie of the Month in August.
A late-season bloomer, Hendricks seemed to pick up steam by around midseason.
His Best Season and a World Series Ring
Hendricks’ best season came in 2016 when he won NL Pitcher of the Month in August and led MLB with a 68.6 first-strike percentage. That year, he finished with a 16-8 record, a 2.13 ERA in 30 starts with two complete games, a shutout, and 170 strikeouts against 44 walks. He ended the season with a 0.979 WHIP over 190 innings pitched.
In five postseason games, he was 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA and 1.026 WHIP over 25 1/3 innings. He pitched 7 1/3 nearly flawless innings in the NL Championship Series, clinching Game Six to send the Cubs to their first World Series since 1945. He pitched twice in that series and started Game 7 as the Cubs won the Series over the Cleveland Indians.
A Career Full of High and Lows
Hendricks posted a winning record in each of his first eight seasons, often fighting through injuries. Known as a smart pitcher who did the little things well, he finished 2017 tied for the most pickoffs (7) in MLB and allowed only 13 stolen bases.
In 2019, Hendricks earned his first “Maddux,” a complete game shutout while throwing less than 100 pitches. Hendricks needed only 81 in his victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on May 3. Only eight other pitchers in history had done it with 81 pitches or less.
The first sign that Hendricks might be beginning to slide came during the 2021 season. Although he finished with a 14-7 record in 32 starts, his ERA ballooned to 4.77 that year. He also allowed a career high 31 home runs that season.
Kyle Hendricks, 7th K pic.twitter.com/WwoEUDloLv
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 15, 2024
Cubs’ Last World Series Stalwart Says Goodbye
Kyle Hendricks is in the last year of his contract, and the Cubs manager Craig Counsell is looking to the future. The front office will no doubt be looking to direct his $13.9 million dollar salary elsewhere in 2025.
Were he to retire a Cub at 35 (his birthday is December 7), Hendricks would become just the third player to play his entire 10+ year career in a Cubs uniform. The other two are Stan Hack (1932-1947) and Ernie Banks (1953-1971). Less than 200 players in MLB history can claim that honor.
Hendricks’s career may not be Hall of Fame-worthy, but for Cubs fans, it’s been great all the same. As he approaches his final game as a Cub, his career record stands at 97-81 with a 3.70 ERA, a 1.183 WHIP, 1,573 innings pitched, and 1,257 strikeouts in 275 games. This Cubs fan would love to see him get one more.
Photo Credit: © Matt Marton-Imagn Images
