As the longest tenured Chicago Cub, Kyle Hendricks has seen this team through many stages.
After his debut in 2014, the Cubs were still mired in mediocrity, completing the final year of their rebuild 73-89, just one win worse than their 2022 74-win record. The following season, a 25-year-old Hendricks helped propel the Cubs to their first postseason berth in seven seasons.
Now Hendricks is right back where he started. Though nine years more aged, Hendricks provides a veteran presence and leadership in a young clubhouse, especially important as his more traditional statistics begin to decline with age.
Hendricks still has one year remaining on a four-year, $55.5 million deal which he signed before the 2019 season. Coming back from injury in 2023, the Cubs seem unlikely to execute his 2024 $16 million club option.
That said, there's no telling what happens if Hendricks improves. His low velocity style should see him age with grace into his mid-30s, and a low inning total in 2022 could see him pitch deeper into the season.
But even disregarding the right shoulder strain that sent him to the injured list on Jul. 6 and then kept him out for the rest of the season, Hendricks had the worst season of his career.
He was only four innings away from his lowest single-season total, posting the highest ERA (4.80) and the second highest FIP (4.82) of his nine-year career.
Hendricks had never suffered such a major injury in his career leading up to 2022. He missed several starts in 2017 with right hand tendonitis and two weeks in 2019 with right shoulder inflammation, but other than those two instances, Hendricks had stayed healthy his entire career.
2022 was the first time he had ever seen the 60-day injured list.
The key for him in 2023 will be remaining healthy, re-discovering his pinpoint command which has eluded him since 2020, and continuing to induce soft contact.
Hendricks' career is by no means over, but a poor showing in 2023 could really expedite that process.
Final Grade: D+
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