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Chicago Cubs: Kyle Hendricks is the real ace of this pitching staff
As is the case with many of his Chicago Cubs teammates, Kyle Hendricks’ season has been a tale of two halves. The good news? He’s only growing stronger.
Pre-All Star Break Kyle Hendricks is perhaps the worst he has been while wearing a Chicago Cubs uniform. Plain and simple, the right-hander struggled mightily with his location and was not fooling anyone at the plate.
Hendricks’ 2.53 BB/9 rate was very un-Professor like. Hendricks surrendered 31 walks in the first half and on five occasions he walked three or more batters in a game.
More concerning however was Hendricks’ inability to keep the ball in the park. He posted a 1.39 HR/9 rate before the Midsummer Classic, which is the highest it’s ever been. Hendricks gave up 17 home runs, tied for the sixth-most in the National League. All of these struggles culminated in a 3.92 ERA and a 0.8 WAR.
Now, you’re probably sitting there after reading that saying how can Hendricks be the ace of the Cubs pitching staff with numbers like that. Well in the second half of the season, Hendricks has looked more like the guy who nearly won the Cy Young Award two years ago.
Chicago Cubs: Class is back in session, kids
In the second half, Hendricks has looked better in all aspects of his game. He is hitting the corners again on both sides of the plate and is in complete control on the mound. This has led him to a 2.4 WAR in the second half, the sixth-best in the National League among pitchers.
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His 1.23 BB/9 rate since the All-Star Break is the lowest mark of his career. He has allowed just 11 total free passes in his 13 starts. To go along with that, there has not been a game in the second half where Hendricks has walked more than two batters.
Hendricks has also done a better job of limiting the long-ball. He has given up just five home runs in the second half, which averages out to just over 0.5 homers per nine.
The key for Hendricks has been his ability to limit the hard contact against him. In the first half he was surrendering hard contact 32.1 percent of the time compared to just 27.9 percent since.
Hendricks has also been more aggressive on the mound, striking out more batters. His K/9 rate has increased from 6.77 to 8.48 from the first half to second half. His 8.48 K/9 rate is the highest it’s ever been in his career, courtesy of 76 strikeouts so far in the second half.
Chicago Cubs: Hendricks peaking just in time for October
‘The Professor’ has really shown his dominance over his last two starts. Against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Hendricks took a shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering a home run to A.J. Pollock. In that game, he pitched 8 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and a walk to go along with eight strikeouts.
Yesterday, he was just as sharp in his start against the Chicago White Sox. He lasted 7 2/3 innings while surrendering just one run on four hits while giving up zero walks. He also struck out five in the contest.
Hendricks is clearly trending in the right direction and again looks like one of the best pitchers in baseball. Last season, Hendricks was rewarded with his stellar play by being the Cubs’ Game 1 starter in the NLDS against the Washington Nationals. If you need a refresher, in that game he outdueled Stephen Strasburg and the Cubs won 3-0.
Next. It's not time to give up on Happ or his high ceiling. dark
If he continues to pitch the way he has of late there is no reason for him to not be the Cubs’ top starter again come October. He has been the Cubs’ ace and I would be more than comfortable with him starting Game One of any playoff series, whether that be in the NLDS or a winner-take-all play-in game.