Longtime Cubs Pitcher Kyle Hendricks Nearing Deal With Angels, Per Reports

Southern California native Kyle Hendricks spent the last 11 seasons cemented into the Chicago Cubs' starting rotation, but now the free agent is heading home to join the Los Angeles Angels.

Sep 28, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) thanks fans after he was pulled from the game during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels are nearing a deal with free agent starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, 670 The Score's Bruce Levine was first to report Wednesday morning.

Hendricks, who turns 35 years old next month, spent the last 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs. The Orange County native will now return to Southern California and play his home games a short drive away from where he grew up.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported that Hendricks' one-year contract would be worth roughly $3 million. He was coming off a five-year, $70.5 million deal with the Cubs.

Sources- Former Cub pitcher Kyle Hendricks and the Angels close to agreeing on one year deal.

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) November 6, 2024

On top of the homecoming angle, Hendricks is also returning to the team that selected him in the 39th round of the 2008 MLB Draft. Hendricks decided to turn down the Angels, however, instead going to Dartmouth College and getting drafted in the eighth round by the Texas Rangers three years later.

Hendricks was one of two prospects traded to the Cubs in exchange for Ryan Dempster at the 2012 deadline, and the rest is history.

The right-hander made his MLB debut in 2014, finishing seventh in the NL Rookie of the Year race. He then won the ERA title in 2016, which helped him place third in NL Cy Young voting.

Hendricks also started five games that postseason, helping the Cubs win their first World Series title in 108 years. He owns a 3.12 ERA and 1.197 WHIP in his playoff career.

Between 2014 and 2020 – when he earned another top-10 NL Cy Young finish – Hendricks went 69-48 with a 3.12 ERA, 1.105 WHIP and 21.4 WAR. Even after he posted ERAs over 4.75 in both 2021 and 2022, he bounced back with a 3.74 ERA and 1.4 WAR in 2023.

Hendricks finally bottomed out in 2024, though, going 4-12 with a 5.92 ERA, 1.454 WHIP and -1.6 WAR – all career-worsts. He temporarily lost his spot in the Cubs' rotation, making five relief appearances after notching just one in the previous 10 seasons.

Still, Hendricks ranks 12th among active pitchers in career WHIP, on top of ranking 14th in ERA, 18th in WAR and 22nd in wins. The only pitchers who have logged more innings than Hendricks over the past decade are Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Kyle Gibson, Aaron Nola, Patrick Corbin, Kevin Gausman and Zack Greinke.

Hendricks is slated to join a rotation that also features José Soriano, Tyler Anderson and Jack Kochanowicz. The Cubs, meanwhile, are left with Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Javier Assad and Ben Brown.

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