3 Chicago Cubs players who'll be better in 2023 and 2 who won't

3 Cubs players who will be better in 2023: #2 - Kyle Hendricks

Boy, there's really no way to paint Kyle Hendricks' last two seasons in a positive light. He's been injured, ineffective and, really, has just been a shell of the guy who was quietly one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the league for the better part of a decade.

Since the start of the 2021 campaign, the veteran right-hander has made 48 starts, struggling to a 4.87 FIP and 87 ERA+. His home run rate has dramatically jumped and even advanced metrics have really soured on him (his Baseball Savant page looks, well, icy with all the blue on it).

But at Cubs Convention earlier this month, Hendricks seemed encouraged at his own progress this offseason, recovering from the shoulder woes that ended his 2022 season early. Looking to reinvent himself on the mound, he's made some mechanical tweaks he hopes will help him recapture his effectiveness.

"“he hope is make everything sharper again. When you’re cutting things off, it’s not having the life that it’s going to have over home plate. And you give up a little bit of that against these hitters, they’re way too good. "

- Kyle Hendricks, via Marquee Network

Now, there's no guarantee Hendricks re-establishes himself this year. But given the fact the Cubs aren't rushing him back and all involved are instead focused on him being 100 percent healthy, I think he's going to be a shot in the arm for the rotation and a stabilzing veteran presence on a staff filled with young arms.