Chicago Cubs: Five players who will regress in 2017

   Kyle Hendricks

2016 stats: 2.13 ERA, 16-8, 170 K’s

Kyle Hendricks had the lowest ERA of any qualified starting pitcher in 2016. Hendricks posted a 2.13 ERA with 170 strikeouts in 190 innings pitched last season.

That great season from Hendricks came in just his second full season in a big-league uniform. The 27-year-old Hendricks uses control, not velocity, to keep hitters off-balance at the plate. Now that hitters know Hendricks’ game plan, they may be more patient against him.

Even if Hendricks can make adjustments against hitters who have no doubt made adjustments against him, it will be hard to duplicate his 2016 season.

Hendricks has a career 2.96 ERA. It is in a relatively small sample size (456.1 innings), but it provides us with an idea as to what kind of pitcher Hendricks will revert to.

Slotted into the number five-spot in the rotation for the Cubs, Hendricks is possibly the best number five starter in baseball. With that being said, Hendricks’ 2017 season will feature a higher ERA, and WHIP. It will simply be too difficult to repeat the type of performance he put up in 2017.

Hendricks will win right around 15 games again in 2017. He will likely join the 200 inning club this year, but expect a 3.00+ ERA and 1.10+ WHIP.