The Chicago Cubs are in a close competition for the top spot in the National League Central after the first month of the 2024 season. Despite dealing with injuries, the Cubs are only one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs have faced a lot of significant injuries in 2024. Kyle Hendricks, who had a rough start to the season, is one of the important players on the injured list. He was ranked as the fourth worst thing in the 2024 MLB season so far by Kerry Miller in Bleacher Report.
Hendricks has been with the Cubs for 11 seasons. The Cubs got Hendricks from the from the Texas Rangers in the summer of 2012 by trading Ryan Dempster for him. Hendricks has started on Opening Day three times since but is not performing as well as he used to.
“It wasn’t just one or two particularly disappointing appearances, either. Hendricks had given up at least one earned run per inning pitched in each of his first five starts of the regular season, after having difficulties in spring training with a 6.30 ERA,” wrote Miller.
Cubs Use Hendricks’ Club Option
Hendricks made a four-year, $55.5 million contract extension with the Cubs in 2019. The deal included a club option worth $16 million in 2024.
“There were about 40 club options available in the league last offseason, and deciding what the Chicago Cubs would do with Kyle Hendricks was perhaps the most difficult choice of all,” wrote Miller.
After making only 16 starts in 2022, Hendricks made 24 in 2023. He improved his ERA, strikeouts per nine innings, and walks and hits per inning. He also allowed fewer home runs and walks in eight more starts. The Cubs saw the improvement as enough reason to exercise the club option for the 34-year-old right-hander.
“They decided yes, but it turns out the correct answer was a firm no,” wrote Miller on May 2. “As of Wednesday morning, there were 133 pitchers who have pitched at least 20 innings this season, three of whom had an ERA above 7.50: New York Mets’ Adrian Houser (8.37), Houston Astros’ Hunter Brown (9.78) and Hendricks with a terrible mark of 12.00.”
Hendricks has already allowed eight home runs in five starts, which is more than half of the 13 he allowed in 2023.
Cubs Pitching Injuries
The Cubs have faced injuries in their starting rotation early in the year. Justin Steele suffered a “Grade 1 strain” in his left hamstring on opening day, as reported by MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Hendricks was put on the injured list on April 24 after he felt his back act up in between starts, according to Bastian.
However, both Steele and Hendricks are close to coming back. Steele made a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on May 1. He threw 3 1/3 innings with “no problems,” as reported by MLB.com..
Steele is set to be activated from the IL and start for the Cubs on May 6 against the Padres, as announced by manager Craig Counsell 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 Tennessee on May 2. He will make a start for Triple-A Iowa on May 7. All signs point to Hendricks coming back, but his struggles and the injury have raised some uncertainty about his future.
“We will find out if he returns to the major leagues or if his career ends as abruptly as Madison Bumgarner's did a year ago,” stated Miller.
