| Kyle Hendricks | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hendricks with theChicago Cubs in 2016 | |
| Los Angeles Angels – No. 28 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1989-12-07)December 7, 1989 (age 35) Newport Beach, California, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 10, 2014, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 105–91 |
| Earned run average | 3.79 |
| Strikeouts | 1,373 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Kyle Christian Hendricks (born December 7, 1989) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theLos Angeles Angels ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theChicago Cubs. He made his MLB debut in 2014 with the Cubs andled MLB inearned run average (ERA) in 2016, winning theWorld Series that same year.
Hendricks attendedCapistrano Valley High School inMission Viejo,California. He was drafted by theLos Angeles Angels in the 39th round of the2008 MLB draft, but did not sign and instead chose to attendDartmouth College, where he was a member of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity.[1][2][3]
He playedcollege baseball for theDartmouth Big Green under head coachBob Whalen. In his junior year, Hendricks pitched to a 6–3win–loss record and a 2.47earned run average with 70strikeouts in 62innings pitched.[4] In 2010, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theBrewster Whitecaps of theCape Cod Baseball League.[5]
TheTexas Rangers drafted Hendricks in the eighth round, with the 264th overall selection, of the2011 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He signed with the Rangers, and began his professional career with theSpokane Indians of theLow–ANorthwest League.[7]
The Cubs acquired Hendricks alongsideChristian Villanueva in exchange forRyan Dempster at the 2012 trade deadline.[8] Hendricks began the 2013 season with theTennessee Smokies of theDouble–ASouthern League,[9] and the Cubs promoted him to theIowa Cubs of theTriple–APacific Coast League (PCL) during the season.[10] The Cubs named Hendricks their minor league pitcher of the year for 2013.[4]
Hendricks began the 2014 season with Iowa. He was named the PCL's Pitcher of the Week for May 12–18.[11]
After the trade ofJeff Samardzija andJason Hammel to theOakland Athletics on July 4, 2014, Hendricks made hisMajor League Baseball debut with theChicago Cubs on July 10, against theCincinnati Reds atGreat American Ballpark.[12] He earned his first win in front of a home crowd against theSan Diego Padres on July 22.[13] Hendricks was named theNational League Rookie of the Month of August.[14] Hendricks finished his rookie season with a 7–2 win–loss record and a 2.46 ERA.[15] Hendricks tied for seventh place withTravis d'Arnaud andJeurys Familia in theNL Rookie of the Year Award voting.[16]
Hendricks began the 2015 season as a member of the Cubs'starting rotation, led by the newly signedJon Lester.[15][17]
His record was 8–7 with 180 innings pitched and he had an ERA of 3.95.[18] His 17no decisions were the most among MLB starting pitchers in 2015.[19] He was the starter for game two of the2015 National League Division Series with St. Louis and game three in the2015 National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.[citation needed]
Hendricks was named NL Pitcher of the Month for August.[20]
Hendricks finished the 2016 season with a record of 16–8 in 190 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.13, which was the lowest in all of baseball. He was the first Cub to lead the National League in the stat since 1945 and the first to lead the majors since 1938.[21] He also led all major league pitchers infirst-strike percentage (68.6%).[22]
In Game 6 of theNLCS, Hendricks pitched7+1⁄3 innings facing the minimum in the clinching game to send the Cubs to their first World Series since 1945. The Cubs won the2016 World Series over theCleveland Indians, with Hendricks as the starting pitcher in Games 3 and 7, giving them their first title in 108 years.[23]
On June 8, 2017, Hendricks was placed on the 10-day disabled list (transaction retroactive three days prior) due to middle finger tendon inflammation in his right hand.[24]
He finished the season with a 7–5 record and a 3.03 ERA over 139.2 innings. He tied for the major league lead in pickoffs, with seven, while allowing 13 stolen bases and having four caught stealing.[25] Hendricks pitched Games 1 and 5 of theNLDS, and Game 3 of theNLCS. Across the three games, he was 1–1 with a 3.94 ERA in a combined 17 innings.[citation needed]
In 2018, he was 14–11 with a 3.44 ERA[26] and led all major league pitchers inchangeup percentage (30.7%).[27] He was the losing pitcher in theNL Wild Card Game, giving up three straight hits and one run in the 13th inning against theColorado Rockies.[28]
On March 26, 2019, Hendricks and the Cubs agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2023 season with a vesting option for the 2024 season.[29] Hendricks picked up his first careerMaddux with an 81-pitch victory over the Cardinals on May 3. Hendricks, who was already aware of the term, stated, "Lucky I got one. Every time I go out there, I'm trying to get early contact and get early outs. When it happens to go this way, you can say, 'Look, I did it!'"[30]
He finished the season with an 11–10 record with a 3.46 ERA across 177 innings, with the lowest BB/9 rate he had up to this point in his career.
On July 24, 2020, Hendricks pitched a complete-game shutout in the Cubs' season opener versus the Brewers, only throwing 103 pitches with three hits allowed, nine strikeouts, and no walks.[31] It was the first Opening Day shutout by a Cubs pitcher sinceBill Bonham in 1974, and the first Opening Day shutout in MLB since Clayton Kershaw in 2013.[32]
In 2020 he was 6–5 with a 2.88 ERA.[33] He led the NL in fewest walks per 9 IP (0.885), and in strikeout/walk ratio (8.000), and was eighth in losses.[34] Hendricks also finished ninth in Cy Young voting, tyingZac Gallen andClayton Kershaw in the process.[35]
On April 18, 2021, in a game against theAtlanta Braves, Hendricks allowed home runs toFreddie Freeman,Travis d'Arnaud,Ehire Adrianza, andGuillermo Heredia all in the first inning, becoming the first pitcher in Cubs history to allow four home runs in the first inning, and only the ninth player in history to accomplish the feat.[36] He finished the 2021 season with a 14–7 record, a 4.77 ERA and an MLB-leading 200 hits allowed.
In 16 starts for Chicago in 2022, Hendricks registered a 4–6 record and 4.80 ERA with 66 strikeouts in84+1⁄3 innings pitched. His last start was made on July 5, after which it was discovered that he suffered a capsular tear in his shoulder and would miss the remainder of the season.[37]
Hendricks returned from his injury to make 24 starts for Chicago in 2023. Spanning 137 innings, he compiled a 6–8 record and 3.74 ERA with 93 strikeouts.[38]
The highest ERA by a Cub in his first five starts of a season was set by Hendricks at the start of the 2024 season with a 12.00 ERA.[39] After continued struggles, Hendricks was moved to thebullpen on May 21, 2024.[40] In 29 total games (24 starts) for the Cubs in 2024, he compiled a 4–12 record and 5.92 ERA with 87 strikeouts across 130.2 innings pitched. On October 31, Hendricks elected to become a free agent.[41]
On November 6, 2024, Hendricks signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with theLos Angeles Angels.[42]
On June 7, 2025, Hendricks pitched against Seattle Mariners and recorded his 100th career win.Ron Washington praised Hendricks' performance, noting that he is doing much better than what his ERA shows.[43]
Hendricks grew up inSan Juan Capistrano, California.[44] His father, John, is a golf pro; his mother, Ann Marie, is a medical management consultant.[44] He earned hisbachelor's degree in economics fromDartmouth College in December 2013, after completing his coursework in the winter of 2012 and fall of 2013.[4] Hendricks is nicknamed "The Professor" by his teammates and fans. The nickname is not only a reference to Hendricks'sIvy League education, but also an homage toGreg Maddux, who also sported the same nickname.[45] Hendricks chose "Hendo" as his nickname for the Players Weekend during the 2017 season.[46]
Hendricks married longtime girlfriend Emma Cain in November 2017.[47]
After beginning the season as the last starter in the Cubs rotation, the soft-throwing Dartmouth graduate whom teammates call the Professor has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in baseball.