Kyle Hendricks will be moved to the bullpen for the time being, according to manager Craig Counsell, who spoke with reporters including Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Counsell stated that the organisation hopes the veteran right-hander will be able to return to the rotation in the future, but he must first improve his performance.
Hendricks has been a starting pitcher for his entire career. For the first seven years of his MLB tenure, he was an unconventional top-of-the-rotation arm. Hendricks’ pristine command and ability to keep the ball on the ground more than overcame middling velocity and strikeout totals. He won the ERA title during Chicago’s curse-breaking 2016 season and picked up a pair of top-10 finishes in Cy Young balloting.
Things haven’t gone as smoothly over the last three and a half years. Hendricks posted a near-5.00 ERA in both 2021 and 2022. He returned from a capsule tear in his shoulder to turn in a 3.74 ERA over 24 starts a year ago. That convinced the Cubs to trigger a $16.5M option for this season. While it wasn’t a particularly surprising move at the time, that’s a decision the front office surely wishes it could have back.
Opposing lineups have teed off on Hendricks through his first seven starts of 2024. He has allowed 37 runs over 30 2/3 innings. Hendricks has conceded 10 home runs and has a career-low 7.7 percent swinging strike rate. His 48.2 percent grounder percentage and 7.3 percent walk rate are each respectable, but opponents have put together a massive .362/.411/.638 slash line over 151 plate appearances.
A lower back issue sent Hendricks to the injured list at the end of April. Following a three-week absence, he returned to start a pair of games against the Pirates. Hendricks tossed five innings of one-run ball in his first outing back but was tagged for eight runs in 4 2/3 frames last week. Counsell acknowledged after the game that the Cubs needed better production from that rotation spot.
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