Cubs Rumors: 2016 World Series fan favorite nearing a one-year deal with the Angels

All signs pointed to this, but the end of the Kyle Hendricks era is upon us. According to Bruce Levine and confirmed by Patrick Mooney, the veteran right-hander is nearing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

The Chicago Cubs brought Hendricks back via a $16.5 million team option this year; frankly, things couldn't have gone much worse. He was ineffective and only kept getting chances because of the injuries that ravaged the pitching staff. Thankfully, he settled in a bit as the summer progressed and was at least serviceable down the stretch.

His final start was a vintage Hendricks outing: 7 1/3 shutout innings in front of the Wrigley Field faithful, whom he's dazzled and wowed for over a decade. It was a fitting end to his Cubs career, one highlighted by the team's unforgettable 2016 World Series run - in which Hendricks played an integral role.

Not only did Hendricks finish third in NL Cy Young voting that year, he started arguably the two biggest games the franchise has played in the last 80 years: the clincher in the NLCS against the Dodgers and Game 7 of the World Series in Cleveland. He was brilliant in both, etching his name into Cubs lore in the process.

We'll have more on his legacy in the days to come. But looking ahead to the 2025 Cubs, it's clear now was the time to turn the page. The front office is focused on adding front-of-the-rotation arms and bolstering the back end of the bullpen this winter and, given the internal pitching depth already in the mix, a reunion with Hendricks made little sense.

Chicago enters the offseason with Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon set to return - and pieces like Javier Assad, Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks and others ready to contribute in some fashion. Top pitching prospect Cade Horton could factor in at some point in the season, as well, and blocking any of these young arms with a diminished Hendricks was a move Jed Hoyer was never going to make.