Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks receives third-place votes, finishes seventh overall for NL ROY

Chicago Cubs rookie pitcher Kyle Hendricks was trying to be the teams first Rookie of the Year winner since former catcher Geovany Soto won the honors back in 2008.

According to Carrie Muskat on Twitter, the 24-year-old right-hander out of Newport Beach, California received two-third place votes in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting. Hendricks made his Major League debut with the Cubs on July 10 after the organization pulled off a trade that sent both Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics just six days prior. Hendricks finished seventh overall in the voting. His late start likely cost him any realistic shot, as his total innings pitched were much lower than normal for pitchers who are considered for the award.

More from Chicago Cubs News

• Alec Mills shocked Cubs fans, baseball world with 2020 no-hitter
• Cubs: After season of adjustments, Seiya Suzuki primed for monster 2023
• Projecting the 2023 Cubs Opening Day lineup
• Cubs: 2022 season a ‘success,’ according to Tom Ricketts
• Cubs have to stay healthy if they want to contend in 2023

He picked up a no-decision in that outing against the Cincinnati Reds, working through six innings while allowing four earned runs on five hits (one home run), while issuing three walks and seven strikeouts. Hendricks would pick up his first Major League win on July 22 against the San Diego Padres – a game where he worked seven scoreless innings with three walks and five strikeouts.

Chicago’s hottest addition to their rotation was also named August’s NL Rookie of the Month after working through 37 1/3 innings with a solid ERA of 1.69. Hendricks held six opponents to just nine runs (seven earned) on 28 hits with only one home run while walking six and punching out 20.

Although his final four outings weren’t nearly as perfect as his previous handful, Hendricks finished his rookie campaign with a solid 2.46 ERA. There’s definitely going to be an opportunity for the young righty to win a spot in the starting rotation especially after he finished the year with one of the best records on the team.

New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom was the man who out performed the rest of the rookie class. In 20 starts, deGrom posted a 2.62 ERA with 144 strikeouts, 43 walks, 42 earned runs, and just seven home runs in 140 1/3 innings of work.