The last remaining member of the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 World Series team is heading toward an ignominious end to his career at Wrigley Field.
Veteran starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks is being demoted to the bullpen amid a poor start, manager Craig Counsell told reporters on Tuesday. by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. On Thursday, Hendricks’ usual rotation spot, the Cubs will play a bullpen game.
The writing was on the wall for Hendricks after his last game. At the very least, you could look up his ERA. The 11-year veteran’s mark changed to 10.57 after allowing eight runs (seven earned) and 11 hits in a 9-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Counsell didn’t seem enthusiastic about the idea of demoting Hendricks after that start, via Atlético:
“We need to look at the beginning a little closer and see what’s happening,” Counsell said. “We are in a difficult phase right now. We have eight pitchers on the injured list. We have to continue doing our best to help Kyle overcome the situation. I think this will be very important here. In the stretch we’re in, we’re going to need starters.”
Hendricks is set to hit free agency after this season, in which he will earn $16.5 million.
Hendricks currently leads MLB in earned runs allowed with 36 in just seven games. The next three pitchers on the list – Reid Detmers, Aaron Civale and Miles Mikolas – made 10 starts.
The peripherals also do not indicate that Hendricks is actually a victim of bad luck. His FIP is 6.93. His xERA is 6.22. Statcast says hitters should hit .316 against him. His 10.57 ERA and .362 batting average are more extreme than those numbers, but the complete package still looks like one of the worst starters in MLB.
It’s a sudden decline for Hendricks, who for years has defied the speed-obsessed trend that increasingly dominates baseball. His average fastball velocity hasn’t surpassed 90 mph since 2016 (his 87.9 mph pace this season is actually the highest mark in that span), but he’s still maintained a solid career through command, deception, and veteran savvy.
That mix has so far failed him this season. The Cubs probably hope he does better in the bullpen, as he’s really taking a beating when facing hitters time and time again. He’s allowed a .254/.302/.424 slash line when facing hitters for the first time, with those numbers rising to .377/.397/.672 the second time through the order and a surprising .667/.720/1.222 in the third.
However this season plays out, Hendricks will remain a popular figure among Cubs fans in the long run, as will any key member of the 2016 team. Hendricks led MLB with a 2.13 ERA that season and followed that with a 2.13 ERA. of 1.42 in the playoffs.
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