The Jekyll and Hyde season for Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks continues, even though it looks like he could be getting better.
If the team is to have a chance to make the playoffs it could use a shot in the arm from Hendricks, a veteran in his 11th season. His career includes posting a 16-8 record and a 2.13 ERA during the team’s World Series-winning year in 2016.
In 2024, Hendricks has been up and down — and used as a starter, in the bullpen and back as a starter again.
He’s had rough outings, including giving up seven runs in 3 2/3 innings at Milwaukee on June 30. He’s had masterful outings, including seven innings of shutout ball at St. Louis on July 12.
His outing Saturday was a microcosm of the season in the Cubs’ 3-0 loss to the Diamondbacks in front of an announced Wrigley Field crowd of 39,595.
Hendricks (2-8) threw 4 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just one hit before a rough three-batter sequence that doomed him and the Cubs (47-54), which have dropped two in a row to the Diamondbacks after the All-Star break.
Hendricks was tagged with a solo home run in the fifth inning by Mount Carmel graduate Alek Thomas that just made it into the left-center basket. The Cubs pitcher walked Geraldo Perdomo and gave up a two-run home run to Corbin Carroll.
But overall, Hendricks said things are looking up in his game.
“I feel like I’m back on the right track,” he said. “But I still have to focus on one pitch at a time and keep working.”
He hopes to continue to pitch well over the next few months and put the early part of the season, when he gave up 36 earned runs in 31 innings, in the rearview mirror.
“I was really down at the beginning of the season but lately I’ve been doing a lot better things,” he said. “I’m putting myself in a better position for success. My ball is down in the zone again with a little more life on it.”
Cubs manager Craig Counsell likes what he has seen in Hendricks’ recent outings.
“Kyle pitching well has certainly helped the rotation with some other guys down,” Counsell said. “He struggled at the beginning of the year, but he’s given us some big starts. He’s pitched well in the last 40 innings or so and that’s really important.”
The Cubs offense mustered just four hits — two from catcher Miguel Amaya — on Saturday. The offense is sliding after showing some muscle in winning eight of 11 heading into the All-Star break.
The health of Cubs pitchers continues to go downhill. On Saturday, Hayden Wesneski was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain.
Wenseski’s injury brings the total of Cubs pitchers on the injured list to 10.
That hefty list includes left-handed reliever Luke Little, whom manager Craig Counsell said will be likely out for the rest of the season with a left lat strain. Left-hander Jordan Wicks was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list on Friday with a right oblique strain.
“Pitching injuries are unfortunately a part of the game today in a too-frequent manner,” Counsell said. “It requires you to build depth and build a roster and understand that you are going to have issues during the season.”
Not counting three position players who took to the mound in blowout situations, the Cubs have already used 26 pitchers in 2024 with 62 games remaining. Last year they used 25 pitchers, said Cubs historian Ed Hartig.
With different grips, working on spin rate and velocity, pitchers will be prone to injuries, Counsell said.
“Pitchers are always going to try to do something more to get hitters out,” Counsell said. “That’s never going to stop, right?
“Hitters are getting better, and pitchers feel like they have to do more to get them out. Is there a risk in that? I think there is no question that with the bigger, faster, stronger (pitchers) there is going to be an injury risk.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
