3 moves Cubs have to make if they want to save their season

3 critical moves the Cubs need to make right now: Slot Kyle Hendricks back into the starting rotation and hope he can re-establish himself

Kyle Hendricks hasn't been, well, Kyle Hendricks (at least as we all know and love him) since the shortened, fan-less 2020 season when he got some down-ballot Cy Young votes for his work.

Since then, however, the right-hander and former ERA leader has been a shell of his former self, making 48 starts with a 4.78 ERA, 1.6 HR/9 and 1.330 WHIP. His last two rehab starts as he works his way back from 2022 shoulder surgery have been very promising, both in terms of his stuff and the results, and there's little more he can prove pitching at Triple-A.

With Wesneski out of the rotation picture and Jameson Taillon struggling early in his Cubs career, this team desperately needs more back-end consistency in the rotation. The team's top three arms - Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele and, somewhat surprisingly, Drew Smyly, have been as consistent as they come for the most part. But adding some depth to the back of the rotation would go a long way toward stabilizing this group.

Again, you don't need him to go out there and be the 2016 version of himself. With the revamped defense the Cubs have, letting him work his change-up and sinker low in the zone and keep the ball on the ground will get you good results - and if he can just keep the team in the game and eat some innings, that alone will be a step in the right direction.