Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks: From under the radar to postseason ace

From Texas to Chicago

Enter Kyle Hendricks. While he was always considered a fairly auspicious talent, long-term conjecture for the right-hander was never overly bullish.

Hendricks’ demeanor could best be described in the words of teammate Jon Lester, who had this to say according to MLB.com beat writer Carrie Muskat:

"He doesn’t let the emotions of the game get to him. The pitching aspect of it is impressive, but what he does on the mound to control his emotions and how he goes about his business out there, you’d never know if he’s up 10 [runs], down 10, or if it’s an April 15 start or a World Series start."

Indeed, Hendricks does not let his emotions bleed through into his performances. Rumor has it one of his teammates actually saw him smile once, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

After a couple of seasons in the Chicago Cubs’ farm system, Hendricks made his major league debut on July 10, 2014, against the Cincinnati Reds. Hendricks’ rookie season was a successful one, finishing 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA across 13 starts and 80 1/3 innings pitched.

This earned Hendricks a full-time spot in the Cubs’ rotation in 2015. His sophomore season saw a bit of a drop-off in production, but it was his first full season as a big league starter, and it was a productive year nonetheless.

From Texas to Chicago

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