Kyle Hendricks stood in American Family Field’s visitors locker room on the final weekend of the regular season and reflected on a chapter of his career that felt so far away. But just a year ago, he wasn’t even a third of the way through an extended rehab progression for a shoulder injury.
“There were doubts creeping in and out for sure, through the whole process of it,” Hendricks said in a conversation with the Sun-Times. “And that’s one of the happiest things I feel fulfilled with for this year, is getting back and feeling like myself again. … The trust was always there that it would come, but the light at the end of the tunnel was pretty far away at that point.”
Hendricks’ comeback season paved the way for the Cubs to exercise his $16.5 million club option for next season, a source confirmed Sunday. By the end of the season in which Hendricks stayed healthy and posted a 3.74 ERA, it was clear the Cubs wanted to bring him back.
“I love Chicago so much,” Hendricks said at the end of the season, not wanting to make any assumptions about his future with the club. “I really hope to be a part of this group specifically, and going forward with them.
“I really try and soak in all the moments you get with these guys, because your career happens in the blink of an eye. And every group is so different, this was so special, just how close we became and the close ballgames we were able to pull out. We just hope we could have done more.”
Now Hendricks has the opportunity to help take this group further than the 83-79 season that fell just short of this year’s playoffs.
“A lot of guys can be like, ‘I’ve had a great career, if I don’t come back it’s no big deal,’” pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said to the Sun-Times. “But, no, he pushed, he was hungry, and he’s done a fantastic job pitching some huge games for us.”
For all the success Hendricks has achieved in his Cubs career — an ERA title, postseason heroics, a World Series ring — his 2021 and 2022 seasons raised questions about the future of his career. Maybe his struggles in those seasons could be attributed to the physical toll of a short season followed by shortened spring trainings. But his recovery from a capsular tear in his right shoulder left plenty of question marks.
“To be honest, we didn’t know what we were going to get out of Kyle,” Hottovy said. “For him to not only come back, number one, but come back being like a very very good version of yourself … it’s just a testament to who he is as a person and the work ethic and what he does to not be satisfied.”
Of course, they hoped. With each milestone, from his first bullpen, to his first rehab start, to his first start back after 11 months on the sideline, Hendricks eliminated doubts. The rehab process and velocity program that Hendricks committed to over the offseason was paying off.
Despite a late start to the season, he threw 137 innings in 24 starts. His walk rate dropped to 4.7%, tied for his second-best mark in a full season. And his stuff was as good as it has been in years as he posted.
“Going out there and feeling like myself every fifth day, keeping the team in the game, giving us a chance to win every time out, these things that I kind of pride myself on, it was just awesome to be able to feel that again,” Hendricks said. “Feel the competitive juices, the competitive nature, pitching meaningful games in September, that’s what you live for.”
Cubs pick up Gomes’ option
The Cubs are picking up catcher Yan Gomes’ $6 million club option, a source confirmed Sunday, bringing back the veteran backstop for a third year with the club.
It was the obvious choice for the Cubs, who maintain stability at the position for both the pitching staff and young catcher Miguel Amaya. Gomes’ defensive prowess and strong reputation managing a pitching staff were the qualities that drew the Cubs to him in the first place. But he also improved offensively this year, especially in high leverage situations, in which he led the team in WRC+ (198).
“There’s like so much love in this clubhouse, man,” Gomes said at the end of the season. “It was a big deal for us this year on creating a winning culture and a close knit group, and we did that.”
