Thank you to Kyle Hendricks for delivering time and time again

On July 31, 2012, the Chicago Cubs made a trade with the Texas Rangers, sending longtime Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster to Texas in exchange for Christian Villanueva and an unknown pitcher named Kyle Hendricks. Just four years later, that once-unknown "crafty" pitcher from Dartmouth won the ERA title and started the two most important games in Cubs history. From there, he would go on to be an integral piece on the Cubs pitching staff for many years.

Hendricks leaves behind a special legacy on the North Side. His remarkable 2016 season with a 2.13 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 0.98 WHIP, 170 strikeouts and 44 walks in 190 innings was just one of many very good seasons. From 2014-2020 he pitched to a 3.12 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.9 BB/9 and 1.1 WHIP in 1,047.1 innings (175 appearances). Don't look past a 3.12 ERA and 1.2 WHIP in 12 postseason appearances over that stretch.

Overall, he pitched to a 3.68 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 1.2 WHIP, 1,259 strikeouts, 364 walks, 97 wins and 25.4 fWAR in 1,580.1 innings with the Chicago Cubs.

Earning the nickname "The Professor" due to his ability to be effective around the corners with offspeed and movement ala Greg Maddux, Hendricks became a fan favorite. Despite not getting attention on the national level, he was embraced as an essential part of the rotation alongside the likes of Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta. While his popularity began to rise in the 2016 season, the moment he "arrived" was the 7.1 inning, two-hit gem in the pennant-clinching game against the Dodgers at Wrigley Field. The image of Hendricks walking off the mound to Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" is one fans will never forget.

Other notable performances include his 4.2 inning, one-run start in Game 7 of the World Series, his 81-pitch shutout against the Cardinals in 2019, his complete game shutout on Opening Day 2020 and a few no-hit bids that just felt short in 2016 in St. Louis and 2023 in San Francisco. No matter how high the stakes, Hendricks always maintained a calm demeanor never breaking a sweat. You couldn't tell if he was pitching in Spring Training or Game 7 of the World Series.

Fans saw Hendricks in vintage form in his final start as a Cub back in September when he threw 7.1 shutout innings against the Reds at Wrigley Field. As he once again departed the mound to the tune of "Sweet Emotion", and with pitching coach Tommy Hottovy taking the ball from him, it was evident that it would be the last hurrah for Hendricks as a pitcher in Chicago. The fans stood and cheered as he tipped his cap with a warm smile to the crowd.

So to Kyle Hendricks, thank you. Thanks for helping give Cubs fans that National League pennant and World Series championship we had been waiting for. Thanks for giving us so many great starts in a Cubs uniform over the past decade. And thanks for being such a class act to the fans and community. You will always be a Cub, and hopefully, one day will be enshrined into the Cubs Hall of Fame at Wrigley. Good luck in Anaheim.