Beloved former Cubs star reaches career milestone with new team

Class was in session in Anaheim last night, as Kyle Hendricks took the mound for the Los Angeles Angels as they took on the Seattle Mariners for the first of a three-game set. While Hendricks gave up four runs in six innings, the Angels supported him with five runs of their own, notching a 5-4 victory in the series opener.

The Angels find themselves sitting once again in the middle of the pack of the AL West with a record of 29-33. With franchise legend Mike Trout continuing to battle injuries, the Angels look destined for yet another mediocre season with the playoffs out of reach.

Despite this, last night’s game carried much significance for Hendricks, as the 35-year-old right-hander claimed his third victory of the campaign. With the win, Hendricks has reached the 100-win plateau in his career, an impressive milestone for the former Chicago Cubs hurler.

It hasn’t been the prettiest of seasons for Hendricks, as he holds a 3-6 record with a 5.40 ERA. In true Hendricks fashion, he ranks in the bottom first percentile in average fastball velocity at 86.2 MPH, but in the 90th percentile in average exit velocity at 86.8 MPH according to Baseball Savant.

Cubs fans won't soon forget Kyle Hendricks' run with the team

Nicknamed “The Professor” throughout his time in Chicago, Hendricks drew Greg Maddux comparisons for his knack to limit baserunners and his ability to control the ball with some of the lowest pitch velocities in baseball. In eleven years with the Cubs, Hendricks put forward a 3.68 career ERA with a record of 97-81, serving as a staple in the rotation throughout the Cubs’ competitive window.

Hendricks took the baseball world by storm in 2016, leading all of Major League Baseball with a 2.13 ERA, finishing third in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He holds a special place in Cubs history, getting the nod to start the historic game seven of the 2016 World Series, going toe to toe with Cleveland ace Corey Kluber on the night that snapped the Cubs’ lengthy World Series drought.

Now, in the twilight of his MLB career, it is bittersweet to see Hendricks reach the 100-win milestone, given how close he came to achieving it while with the Cubs. Still, Cubs fans will be happy to see Hendricks experience success in his career and hope he can end it on a high note.