Getty Kyle Hendricks of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks is one of the “10 biggest disasters” of the 2024 season so far, according to Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller.
Hendricks, 34, is on the injured list after a rough start to the season, his 11th with the Cubs, who picked up the option on Hendricks and will pay him $16.5 million this season, according to Miller.
“It wasn’t just one or two exceptionally disappointing appearances, either. Hendricks had allowed at least one earned run per inning pitched in each of his first five starts of the regular season, this after scuffling through spring training with a 6.30 ERA,” Miller wrote, ranking him fourth in the story, published May 2.
Cubs Exercise Hendricks’ Club Option
After making just 16 starts in 2022, Hendricks made 24 in 2023, improving his ERA, strikeouts per nine innings and walks and hits per inning. He also allowed fewer home runs and fewer walks in eight more starts. The Cubs viewed the improvement enough to exercise the club option the right-hander.
“There were roughly 40 club options on the table across the league this past offseason, and what the Chicago Cubs would do with Kyle Hendricks was arguably the toughest decision of all,” Miller wrote.
But through the first month of the season, it hasn’t worked out for the team.
“They decided yes, but it turns out the correct answer was a resounding no,” Miller wrote. “As of [May 1], there were 133 pitchers who have logged at least 20 innings this season, three of whom had an ERA north of 7.50: New York Mets’ Adrian Houser (8.37), Houston Astros’ Hunter Brown (9.78) and Hendricks’ ghastly mark of 12.00.”
Hendricks has already allowed eight home runs in five starts. That’s more than half of the 13 he allowed in 2023.
He signed a four-year, $55.5 million contract extension with the Cubs in 2019.
Cubs’ Pitching Injuries
The Cubs have dealt with injuries in their starting rotation early in the year. Justin Steele suffered a “Grade 1 strain” in his left hamstring on Opening Day, according to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Hendricks was placed on the injured list on April 24 after he felt his back flare up in between starts, according to Bastian.
However, both Steele and Hendricks are close to returning. Steele made a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on May 1. He threw 3 1/3 innings with “no issues,” according to MLB.com.
Steele is lined up to be activated from the IL and start for the Cubs on May 6 against the Padres, manager Craig Counsell announced on May 3. “The lefty has a bullpen session to complete on May 4 ahead of his return to Chicago’s rotation,” wrote MLB.com.
Hendricks made his first rehab start for Double-A Tennesse on May 2. He will make a start for Triple-A Iowa on May 7. All signs point to Hendricks returning, but struggles and the injury have cast some doubt about his future.
Class is in session with “The Professor” Kyle Hendricks on the bump 😤
The @Cubs RHP racks up seven punchouts over five frames in a rehab start for @smokiesbaseball:
“We’ll see if he makes it back to the majors or if his career just ended as unceremoniously as Madison Bumgarner’s did one year ago,” Miller wrote, referring to the 34-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher who signed a 5-year, $85 million deal after cementing legacy as a three-time World Series champ with the San Francisco, only to prove ineffective in Arizona. He was cut in 2023 after going 0-3 in four starts and is still a free agent.