Cubs announce starting rotation for the weekend, Kyle Hendricks' final start

One last time. The Chicago Cubs will wrap up the 2024 season this weekend in front of the home faithful at Wrigley Field, squaring off against the Cincinnati Reds. Jameson Taillon will make his final start of the year in Friday's series opener and veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks gets the ball on Saturday, giving fans one last chance to thank him for the indelible mark he left on the franchise.

Hendricks, who turns 35 in December, is wrapping up the worst season of his big-league career, but don't expect that to dampen the home crowd's enthusiasm. Every Cubs fan is well aware of the role he played in that 2016 championship season - and one bad chapter here at the end doesn't change that.

Over 11 seasons in Chicago, the soft-tossing right-hander has been a staple in the starting rotation, bringing home an ERA title, World Series ring and was a Cy Young finalist in 2016. He rebounded and silenced his doubters in 2023, making the Cubs' decision to pick up his option for 2024. That decision didn't go as planned, with Hendricks working to a 6.28 ERA in 123 1/3 innings of work.

As for Taillon, his Friday start represents the final piece of a massive turnaround campaign for the right-hander. After struggling through a rocky first season on the North Side, he's turned things around here in 2024, making 27 starts and working to a 3.41 ERA that checks in well above his career mark of 3.92.

Craig Counsell has not yet named a starter for the season finale on Sunday, but Shota Imanaga may get one more start to close out the year. We could also see a bullpen day, so stay tuned as that takes shape.