Chicago Cubs: Kyle Hendricks must follow the formula in 2017

At Wrigley, few can contend with Kyle Hendricks

Last season, Kyle Hendricks’ starts were split almost directly in half between home and road outings. But it was at the Friendly Confines where the right-hander turned in his best work for the Chicago Cubs.

In 14 home starts, he pitched to a 1.32 earned run average, backed up by a 6.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 0.860 WHIP. In short, if Hendricks had the ball at Wrigley, the game was essentially as good as over.

With Kyle Hendricks on the mound at Wrigley Field last season, you could almost guarantee a Chicago Cubs’ win.

Away from Chicago, however, his numbers tailed off considerably. That’s not to say he didn’t have strong performances on the road, but there was a clear divide throughout the year between his home and away starts.

Six of his eight losses came on the road. Now, wins and losses aren’t exactly an indicator of success, so let’s look more closely at some other numbers.

Opponents’ OPS jumped by over 100 points against Hendricks when he was on the road, from .517 to .643. His strikeout-to-walk ratio took a big hit too, falling from that impressive 6.36 mark to a mediocre 2.70 clip.

These numbers are indicative of what was discussed using the heat maps; control is everything for Kyle Hendricks’ success. When he misses location, his walk numbers jump and opponents find ways to hurt him. This was especially evident when Chicago was on the road in 2016.