Cubs rumors: Marcus Stroman's latest, David Ross on the hot seat, Hendricks' future

Cubs rumors: Kyle Hendricks doesn't seem to have a future with the Chicago Cubs

It doesn't seem likely that the Chicago Cubs will want to keep Kyle Hendricks long-term after his many struggles in recent years, both in pitching and dealing with injuries. But could be worth it for the Cubs to use the 2024 club option on Kyle Hendricks in hopes of pairing him with Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and possibly Marcus Stroman if he opts in.

The Cubs have a bright future with young arms like Jordan Wicks, Cade Horton, and Ben Brown, among others. At age 33, turning 34, Kyle Hendricks is nearing the end of his playing career, and it would be odd to see him in another uniform.

In 2019, Kyle Hendricks signed a four-year, $55.5 million contract with the Cubs, which included a 2024 vesting option. Since it didn't vest, it's a club option that could pay him $16 million if used or a $1.5 million buyout.

Besides Hendricks' 2020 season, he has either been injured or has massively underperformed his relatively small contract. In the first half of the season, Hendricks looked like he could be in the Cy-Young race, but since then, he has collapsed, holding a 4.30 ERA in 13 games.

Kyle Hendricks can turn around his career. He mostly struggles when he goes through the lineup for the second time. When facing hitters for the first time, he holds a 2.83 ERA, but by the time it's the second time, he has a 5.06 ERA. However, he then fixes his mistakes the third time around, with a 3.26 ERA.