If Saturday was, indeed, the end, it was a perfect end to Kyle Hendricks' Cubs career

In what may be his final start with the Chicago Cubs, Kyle Hendricks delivered in front of a packed house at Wrigley Field, tossing 7 1/3 shutout innings to lead his team to a 3-0 victory on Saturday.

All season long, Hendricks has owned his shortcomings, acknowledging he's come up well short of even the expectations he set for himself throughout the year. Chicago kept giving him the chance to get back on track and, even though the end-of-season numbers aren't great, that patience set up an emotional afternoon for the veteran and fans alike.

Hendricks finishes the year 4-12 with a 5.92 ERA in 24 starts and five relief appearances. But you'd never know it watching him on Saturday. It was, perhaps, one last masterclass from 'The Professor', who has defied the odds since his rookie year, establishing a legacy as one of the greatest starting pitchers in franchise history.

No doubt a future Cubs Hall of Famer, Hendricks was acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Ryan Dempster trade back in 2012. He made his big-league debut in 2015 and set the tone early on, quickly becoming an anchor in the starting rotation. During the team's 2016 World Series run, he led all of baseball in ERA and started both the pennant-clincher against the Dodgers and the unforgettable Game 7 in Cleveland.

Simply put, without him, that 108-year drought may very well have endured. Cubs fans could still be waiting for that magical moment. Thankfully, though, he was here - and he delivered, time and time again.

I wouldn't totally close the door on a reunion between Hendricks and the Cubs. If his free agent market is weak and he winds up receiving only minor-league offers, it wouldn't shock me to see Jed Hoyer extend one and give the 11-year veteran a chance to prove himself next spring. But if that doesn't happen and this was the end, it was one Hendricks can be proud of - and one he deserved.