Kyle Hendricks, the soft-tossing right-hander who helped end the Chicago Cubs’ 108-year championship drought, is retiring after 12 MLB seasons, according to multiple reports Monday. The 35-year-old finishes his career after spending 2025 with his hometown Los Angeles Angels.
Career Stats and Achievements
Hendricks retires with a 105-91 record and 3.79 ERA across 307 career games (301 starts). He struck out 1,440 batters while walking just 390 in his 12-year career – a testament to his pinpoint control and cerebral approach.
His 2025 season with the Angels saw him post an 8-10 record with a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts, striking out 114 against 43 walks in 164 2/3 innings. While the numbers weren’t vintage Hendricks, he fulfilled his dream of pitching for his hometown team before hanging up his cleats.
The 2016 Season That Defined a Career
Hendricks will forever be remembered in Chicago for his masterful 2016 campaign. He went 16-8 with a National League-leading 2.13 ERA in 31 games (30 starts), finishing third in NL Cy Young Award voting.
But his postseason performance truly cemented his legacy. Hendricks went 1-1 with a microscopic 1.42 ERA in five playoff starts, striking out 19 while walking just seven in 25 1/3 innings.
That Game 6 Performance
The defining moment came in Game 6 of the 2016 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hendricks pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings to send the Cubs to the World Series, silencing a dangerous Dodgers lineup with his signature command and off-speed repertoire.
In the Fall Classic against Cleveland, Hendricks made two starts without a decision but posted a 1.00 ERA as the Cubs won their first championship since 1908 in a thrilling seven-game series.
From Dartmouth to the Big Leagues
Hendricks took an unconventional path to MLB stardom. After growing up in Orange County, California, he pitched collegiately at Dartmouth – not exactly a baseball powerhouse. The Texas Rangers selected him in the eighth round of the 2011 draft.
Just one year later, he was traded to the Cubs in the deal that sent Ryan Dempster to Texas. That trade would prove franchise-altering for Chicago, as Hendricks became a cornerstone of their rotation during their championship window.
“The Professor” and His Craft
Hendricks earned the nickname “The Professor” for his methodical approach and Ivy League background. Unlike power pitchers who rely on velocity, Hendricks succeeded through exceptional command, changing speeds, and outthinking hitters.
His fastball rarely touched 90 mph, yet he consistently carved up opposing lineups by living on the edges of the strike zone and inducing weak contact. His changeup was among the best in baseball, a pitch that looked identical to his fastball before diving away from hitters’ barrels.
Cubs Tenure: 11 Years of Excellence
Hendricks spent his first 11 seasons with the Cubs, becoming one of the most consistent and reliable starters in franchise history. He made at least 24 starts in eight different seasons and provided stability atop the rotation during Chicago’s competitive window.
Beyond 2016, Hendricks posted several other quality campaigns:
2017: 7-5, 3.03 ERA in 24 starts
2018: 14-11, 3.44 ERA in 33 starts
2020: 6-5, 2.88 ERA in 12 starts (shortened season)
His consistency and durability made him invaluable to Cubs teams that consistently contended in the NL Central.
Coming Home to the Angels
Hendricks signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Angels last November, fulfilling a childhood dream of pitching for his hometown team. Growing up in Orange County watching Angels games, he’d come full circle.
While the 2025 season didn’t produce vintage results, Hendricks provided veteran leadership and ate innings for a rebuilding Angels team. He mentored younger pitchers and showed them how a craftsman succeeds without overpowering stuff.
Legacy Beyond the Numbers
Hendricks’ career transcends statistics. He proved that velocity isn’t everything, that intelligence and precision can dominate just as effectively as triple-digit fastballs.
For Cubs fans, he’ll forever be remembered as a key piece of that magical 2016 season – the year the curse finally ended. His Game 6 NLCS performance ranks among the most clutch starts in franchise history.
Young pitchers can study Hendricks as a model for how to maximize effectiveness through command and sequencing rather than pure stuff. In an era obsessed with velocity, he showed there’s still room for finesse.
What’s Next?
At 35, Hendricks leaves the game on his own terms. Whether he pursues coaching, broadcasting, or simply enjoys retirement remains to be seen. His analytical mind and communication skills would make him an excellent pitching coach or analyst.
The Cubs will likely honor him appropriately – perhaps a number retirement ceremony or induction into their team Hall of Fame. His contributions to the 2016 championship alone warrant recognition.
Bottom Line
Kyle Hendricks retires as one of the most successful soft-tossing pitchers of his generation. He proved you don’t need 98 mph heat to win at baseball’s highest level – just command, intelligence, and nerves of steel.
For Chicago Cubs fans, he’ll always be the guy who delivered when it mattered most in 2016. For baseball fans everywhere, he’s proof that there’s still room in the modern game for craftsmen who rely on brain over brawn.
Thank you, Professor. Enjoy retirement – you earned it.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/sports/angels-rhp-kyle-hendricks-former-cubs-star-reportedly-retiring–flm-2025-11-11/
Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/apardavila/30706464066/
The post Kyle Hendricks Retiring: Cubs World Series Hero Calls It a Career appeared first on UrbanMatter.
