Chicago Cubs: Revisiting the Kyle Hendricks and Ryan Dempster deal

Chicago Cubs: Reaping all the benefits of a lopsided deal

Safe to say we all know how this deal turned out for the Cubs. The Cubs finished the 2012 season with the second-worst record in baseball at 61-101, and …I’m kidding, I know no one wants to hear about that anymore.

The Cubs walked away with Hendricks. I mean, Epstein practically stole him from the Rangers. The Cubs essentially gave up a rental player in Dempster, who made 12 starts and got Hendricks for 11 years with his recent extension. That is highway robbery and has to be up one of the best heists Epstein has ever committed.

Hendricks ended up making his debut in the 2014 season on July 10 against the Cincinnati Reds. He fared well going six strong innings while surrendering four earned runs and adding seven strikeouts.

The right-hander ended up being a bright spot for the Cubs starting in 13 games while going 7-2 along the way. He posted a 2.46 ERA and only walked a total of 15 hitters.

The California native put together his best season in 2016. He posted a career-low ERA of 2.16, which was also the lowest in all of baseball, and went 16-8 in the 30 games he started.

He allowed a career-low 45 earned runs and struck out a career-high 170 batters. His performance only mustered him a top-3 finish in the CY Young voting, although he certainly could have won it most years.