Former World Series champion undecided on pitching in 2026

The Angels’ 4-3 win over the Astros Friday marked Kyle Hendricks’ final start of the 2025 season, and it might also be the last outing of the right-hander’s big league career. Hendricks told MLB.com’s Andres Soto and other reporters that he will take some time after the season to decide whether to hang up the cleats or to explore returning for a 13th season in the Show.

Beyond just his own feelings, Hendricks cited the need to consult with his family and the “lot of people involved” in his career.  

“I’ve been so lucky with the support group I’ve had behind me,” Hendricks said. “It takes an army. You can’t do this by yourself, so it comes down to all their opinions and just taking some time away and seeing how you feel.”

Hendricks made similar statements earlier this week, seemingly pushing back against a report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, who last weekend wrote that Hendricks “has informed friends that he expects to retire after the season.” In a statement to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times last Wednesday, Hendricks implied that Nightengale hadn’t spoken to him before publishing the item.

What does future hold for Kyle Hendricks?

Hendricks turns 36 in December, and he is re-entering free agency after signing a one-year, $2.5M deal with the Angels last winter. For that modest sum, he posted a 4.76 ERA over 164 2/3 innings, and in some ways delivered what has become his prototypical set of numbers over his lengthy career. Hendricks displayed strong control (6.2% walk rate), an excellent 34.3% hard-hit ball rate, and his typically strong curveball spin rate and chase rate.

Despite the 31.7% chase rate, however, the right-hander’s 16.4% strikeout rate and 18.3% whiff rate both ranked near the bottom of the league. Never a hard thrower, Hendricks has ranked within the second percentile of all pitchers in terms of velocity in each of the last nine seasons, and his fastball sat at only 86.5mph this year. While batters had trouble squaring up against Hendricks in general, they made it count when they did make hard contact, as Hendricks allowed 25 homers and had only a middling barrel rate.

This is more or less the same level of production Hendricks has kept up since the start of the 2021 season, and he has a 4.79 ERA over 697 2/3 frames during the last five seasons. Before this downturn, Hendricks had a 3.12 ERA over 1047 1/3 innings with the Cubs from 2014-20, becoming a staple in the rotation and a major part of the team’s 2016 World Series championship team. Hendricks posted a league-best 2.13 ERA in 2016, finishing third in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Hendricks had spent his entire big league career in Chicago up until last offseason, when the Mission Viejo native signed with the Angels. Ending his career with his hometown team is perhaps fitting from a narrative standpoint, though the righty hasn’t yet closed the door on pitching in 2026. One would imagine that the Angels would have interest in a reunion on another low-cost contract, as the Halos have holes to fill in the rotation and Hendricks can both eat innings and continue his off-the-field role as a clubhouse mentor.