Fansided

Cubs: 3 trade deadline regrets killing Chicago’s rebuild

By Noah Yingling

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 22: Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs in action against the Philadelphia Phillies during a game at Citizens Bank Park on July 22, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 22: Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs in action against the Philadelphia Phillies during a game at Citizens Bank Park on July 22, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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Kyle Hendricks, Cubs
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 22: Kyle Hendricks #28 of the Chicago Cubs delivers the ball in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on August 22, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

2) Not trading Kyle Hendricks

In 2020, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks was one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. In the pandemic-shortened campaign, Hendricks went 6-5 with a 2.88 ERA in 12 starts. He had a 156 ERA+, a 3.55 FIP, a 0.996 WHIP, and an average of 0.9 walks and 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings. That walk rate was the best in the major leagues. He finished ninth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

In 2021, he wasn’t pitching as well but was still decent overall. In 21 starts before the trade deadline, Hendricks was 12-4 with an ERA of 3.85. After that, in 11 starts in 2021, he had a 6.67 ERA. This season, he is 4-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 16 starts. Combined since the trade deadline last year, he has made 27 starts with a 5.58 ERA.

Now, he has a shoulder injury and is done for the season. The Cubs have to pay him $14 million for next season despite his poor play.

Last trade deadline, they may have been able to get a team to even take on his contract since he was pitching well.

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