5 Chicago Cubs players in their final month with the team

We're nearing the end of an era as Kyle Hendricks leaves the Cubs

It hasn't been the swan song some hoped for after Kyle Hendricks seemed to turn back the clock and get his career back on track in 2023, but his latest outing in Colorado showed the right-hander has something left to offer.

But given the myriad of needs facing this Cubs team and adding a proven veteran starter a known top offseason priority, the dollars that could be spent retaining Hendricks seem likely to go elsewhere. The last man standing from that unforgettable 2016 team could soon be wearing something other than a Cubs uniform for the first time in his big league career.

The big-picture numbers for Hendricks aren't great and will no-doubt hurt his market. He may even have to settle for a minor-league deal (which, if that's the case, expect the Cubs to keep in touch) after a -1.8 bWAR/6.25 ERA season. But if he manages to secure a guaranteed big league deal (again, a long-shot), it almost certainly will not be in Chicago.