Kyle Hendricks honored by fans in likely final start for Cubs

CHICAGO — He saved one of his best for last.

Long-time Chicago Cubs hurler Kyle Hendricks tossed 7⅓ shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday in what is likely his final appearance for the franchise. Hendricks, 34, will be a free agent in November after spending 11 years in a Cubs uniform.

From the moment he took the field for pregame warm-ups on Saturday, until he was pulled in the eighth by his longtime pitching coach, Tommy Hottovy, Hendricks was feted by the Wrigley Field faithful. Afterwards, the usually stoic righty described what he was feeling when he came out of the game to a standing ovation.

“You feel it all, you feel all the emotions,” Hendricks said. “Just so, so lucky. And so happy. Just for the fans to give me that…part of me hates it. I hate all that attention but at the end, I know I have to soak in these moments…I’m such a lucky guy.”

The crowd wasn’t done with him as moments later Hendricks came out of the dugout for a curtain call as the fans would not let him leave without showing their appreciation. The Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to secure their second consecutive shutout over the Reds but all eyes were on the only remaining member from the 2016 World Series team.

Hendricks got an ovation when he walked out to the bullpen for warm-ups, then again when he came back to the dugout before the first inning. Once he got through those moments, he got on a roll. He gave up just two hits and two walks to Cincinnati — the same team he debuted against a decade ago.

“You have to get through that first part,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Kyle did a heck of a job with it..I told a couple of our young players before the game that this is going to be a memorable day. You’re going to remember this day.”

Memorable it was — as Hendricks threw in front of friends and family in the same style he has for much of a decade: Pitching to contact and allowing his defense to help him. He struck out just two batters in his final start but still kept the Reds off the board.

“You could not have drawn that up any better,” teammate Ian Happ said. “He’s a perfect example of what it means to be a Chicago Cub. Not only what he’s done on the field but who he is as a person. It’s important in this game to honor that.”

After the game, Happ spoke to the entire team in front of Hendricks, reciting his career statistics to the awe of everyone. In 275 regular season starts — all with the Cubs — Hendricks compiled a 3.68 ERA. He won the 2016 ERA title with a 2.16 mark while pitching the Cubs into the World Series with a dominant Game 6 performance over Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.

Days later, he started Game 7 of the World Series against the then-Cleveland Indians, keeping his team in the game before they won it all to break a 108-year championship drought.

This season brought its challenges as Hendricks struggled early in the year. He compiled an ERA of 12.00 in April and a 7.63 mark in May, leading to speculation he might be released.

“I did not expect to be here after April and May,” Hendricks said. “There are moments I should not have been on this team. Things happened a certain way where luckily they kept giving me opportunities.”

Some time in the bullpen turned out to be the difference for him as Hendricks found his game again. Including Saturday, he’s had a 2.89 ERA in September.

“Since the stint in the bullpen, he’s turned this around,” Counsell said. “The league cuts you no breaks. He was up to the challenge of having to be better.”

Hendricks wants to keep pitching but knows it might not be with the Cubs. His four-year extension which included an option year for this season runs out after Sunday.

“If I had my choice, I would love to be a Chicago Cub,” he said. “But that’s so tough. We have so many good, young arms coming up. In this game, you have to perform. I just didn’t do it his year. I didn’t have a great year so there are ramifications for that. I could end up somewhere else.

“The door isn’t closed here but its most likely going to end up being someplace else.”

Counsell believes Hendricks can continue to have success even if its not with Chicago. The Cubs first year manager was asked why he’s so confident.

“You don’t count people like that out,” Counsell stated. “It’s a bet on the person. Simple as that.”