After going 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA in 13 starts last season, Kyle Hendricks looked like a fixture at the back end of the Chicago Cubs‘ starting rotation this season. However, he hasn’t looked like himself this season and now it’s time to panic. In 14 starts in 2015, Hendricks is 2-4 with a 4.46 ERA. Clearly, he isn’t living up to the expectations he set for himself last season. A lot of this comes down to his lack of command.
Hendricks doesn’t throw particularly hard, so he has to hit his spots in order to get people out. He was able to do that a season ago and coaxed soft contact, which was extremely effective. This season, though, he’s missing his spots and he’s getting hurt by it. In his latest start, he gave up four runs over five innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was lucky to get away with only that much damage.
The four runs came off a solo homer from Adrian Gonzalez and a three-run shot by Justin Turner. In both cases, Hendricks left a pitch up in the zone.
If Hendricks is replaced in the rotation, there are a couple options for how to proceed from the Cubs’ perspective. They could give Edwin Jackson, who the team is paying $13 million this season, a chance in the rotation. He has been excellent out of the bullpen over the last month. Another option is to give Travis Wood another shot in the rotation. He started the season in the rotation as the No. 5 starter, but was replaced after being ineffective. That has not been the case in the bullpen.
At this point, either of those pitchers is a better bet than Hendricks. Even if they’re ineffective, they’re veterans who know how to battle through it. Any more outings like he’s had his last two times out (10 IP and 10 ER combined) and Hendricks will surely be on the hot seat. Of course, the team could also pursue some starting pitching at the trade deadline to solve the problem.