Kyle Hendricks has been a staple of the Chicago Cubs’ starting rotation for a decade, witnessing the highs and lows of the team, including their 2016 World Series triumph. With the departure of Manager David Ross in the 2023 offseason, Hendricks became the last member of that championship roster, symbolizing an era now nearly gone. However, like the Cubs, Hendricks has struggled in recent years, and the 2024 season may have marked the end of the line for the veteran right-hander.
Once known for his precision and ability to outsmart hitters with a sub-90 MPH sinker and devastating changeup, Hendricks found himself grappling with diminished effectiveness. His place in the rotation had been tenuous for a few years as the Cubs sought younger talent to rebuild their pitching staff. The 2024 season proved particularly challenging, leading to a temporary demotion to the bullpen as Hendricks struggled to get batters out. However, injuries to other pitchers brought him back into the starting rotation, where he managed to improve enough to finish the season.
A Season of Struggles for “The Professor”
Hendricks, affectionately known as “The Professor,” made his mark in an era dominated by velocity and spin rates, relying instead on control, intelligence, and calm composure. He wasn’t just a serviceable arm; he placed third in Cy Young voting in 2016 and boasts a career 3.68 ERA. However, 2024 brought unprecedented challenges for the Dartmouth graduate.
Throughout the season, Hendricks struggled to finish off batters the way he used to. While his control remained sharp and he incorporated more curveballs into his repertoire, pitches that once induced swings and misses were now fouled off or hit solidly. The weak contact he had so masterfully generated in the past became almost non-existent, and batters were more comfortable sitting on his changeups, leading to harder contact, more line drives, and for the first time in his career, an increased rate of home runs allowed.
Cubs Manager Craig Counsell tried several tactics to get Hendricks back on track, including limiting how often he faced opposing lineups and removing him with runners in scoring position. But nothing seemed to work, and Hendricks was eventually moved to the bullpen after a stint on the injured list. Despite some solid outings as a reliever, Hendricks’ return to the starting rotation—prompted by injuries to other pitchers—wasn’t enough to fully recapture his old form.
A Season to Forget
Hendricks’ 2024 season was tough for fans who had watched him succeed for so many years. His command of the strike zone, while still good, was no longer the weapon it once was. Hitters were more selective, fouling off the pitches they didn’t want and sitting on the ones they liked. His inability to retire batters, particularly with runners in scoring position, caused shorter outings and more stress on the bullpen.
The results speak for themselves: a 4-12 record and a bloated 5.92 ERA, numbers that would have been unimaginable at the start of the year. Hendricks’ early-season struggles contributed heavily to his inflated ERA, with his numbers exceeding 10.00 for the first two months of the season, eventually leading to his temporary demotion from the rotation. Despite showing some improvement later in the year, the damage had already been done.
Reflecting on a Decade of Excellence
Though Hendricks’ season was disappointing, the second half of 2024 offered glimpses of his former self. In particular, standout performances against the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds reminded fans of what Hendricks had been capable of during his prime. His final start of the season—possibly the last of his career with the Cubs—came at Wrigley Field, where he delivered 7.1 scoreless innings in front of an adoring home crowd. As he walked off the field, fans showered him with applause, a fitting tribute to a player who had given so much to the franchise over the past decade.
With no contract for the future, Kyle Hendricks’ MLB career remains uncertain. If 2024 was indeed his final year with the Cubs, he leaves behind an impressive legacy. Since his debut in 2014, Hendricks has won 97 games with a 3.68 ERA over 1,580.1 innings. His postseason heroics, especially his pivotal performance in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, have cemented his place in Cubs history.
While his future remains unclear, one thing is certain: Kyle Hendricks did things his own way, and he did them for the Chicago Cubs.