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Former Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks turned the clocks back with his start against the New York Yankees on Tuesday. Now a member of the Los Angeles Angels, Hendricks tossed 6 shutout innings while striking out nine, and only giving up four hits. Hendricks was in true "professor" form on Tuesday night, and unfortunately, that is a rare sight for the current version of the veteran pitcher.
Hendricks' impressive outing on Tuesday night certainly went a long way toward improving his numbers on the season, but it's nothing like the version of the pitcher the Cubs got during their World Series run. In 14 starts this season, Hendricks has a 4.79 ERA with minimal strikeout and walk numbers. In other words, Hendricks this season has been the same pitcher the Cubs saw for most of the 2024 season.
Hendricks parted with the Cubs after the team declined his club option for the 2025 season last offseason. After picking up his $16.5MM club option for the 2024 season, it was no surprise that the Cubs let Hendricks walk in the offseason. The surprise was how the Angels jumped the market on Hendricks, signing him to a one-year deal worth $2.5MM early in the offseason.
Cubs’ pitching need is obvious — but so was cutting this longtime star
Had Hendricks remained on the market and approached spring training still unsigned, it's possible the Cubs could have mapped out a reunion with their franchise icon on a minor-league deal. At the time, the Cubs were entertaining potential deals with Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Andrew Heaney. Chances are, Hendricks would have been in that group had he not signed with the Angels in the early parts of the offseason.
Despite that possibility and the need that the Cubs have in the rotation, the Cubs certainly made the right decision to move on from Hendricks last offseason. Hendricks, in his current form, was not going to be the answer for the Cubs' need this season. The Cubs are in the market for a top-of-the-rotation arm, and that isn't in the cards for Hendricks at this point in his career.