Chicago Cubs: Five things to look forward to in 2021

Cubs: This staff irrefutably belongs to Kyle Hendricks now

Could this be the year Kyle Hendricks FINALLY gets a deserved All-Star nod? Let’s hope. He is still massively underrated among the general baseball fanbase. In 1,047.1 career innings the 31-year-old Hendricks sports a career 3.12 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.12 WHIP and 1.9 BB/9. Unless he suffers an injury, he will be the Opening Day starter.

Only once has he sported an ERA over 3.5 (3.95 in 2015) and never sported a FIP above 3.88. For a guy who throws mainly high-80s in an era where home runs had been flying out at record rates, that is incredibly impressive. His ability to locate his changeup and sinker has been the main source of his success at getting soft contact and commanding the zone.

It is worth noting that Hendricks has 882 career strikeouts and if he plays a full season he should absolutely reach the 1,000 mark. He has checked a World Series, ERA title and complete game shutout off the list, hope to see he can check off a no-hitter and/or All Star nod. Regardless it is always worth watching Kyle Hendricks do his thing.