Seven Starts That Defined The Professor's Cubs Legacy

[Paul Niemiec]

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images

On Monday, another member of the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 championship team decided to hang it up. The Professor, Kyle Hendricks, will no longer be schooling hitters with his pinpoint accuracy and looping curveball. The 35-year-old pitched 12 seasons in the big leagues, 11 with the Cubs, accumulating 22.8 Career WAR, a 3.79 ERA, and 1373 strikeouts over 1,745.0 innings.

In a generation where velocity is everything, Hendricks made quite the career by locating his pitches, pitching to contact, mixing up his repertoire, and attacking hitters head on. His career average speed on his fastball was approximately 87.7 mph, which is nearly seven miles per hour slower than the average fastball in 2025. Although his fastball lacked the whole “fast” aspect, he was still one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball throughout most of his career. Although he was never named to an All-Star team, he received Cy Young votes in two seasons (including a third-place finish in 2016) and was a staple in the front of the rotation for the Cubs from 2016-2020. Off the field, Hendricks made it known that he loved being a Cub, and his penchant for living up to big moments is the stuff of legend.

Below are seven of the most memorable moments from Hendrick’s career, in no particular order.

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Sept. 28th, 2024- Hendrick's final start as a Cub at Wrigley Field

Although he stuck around the league one more year with the Los Angeles Angels, this start marked the end of an era. Hendricks was the last remaining piece from the 2016 team, and he struggled mightily through most of the 2024 season. He accepted a brief demotion to the bullpen after a horrendous start to the season, but he still managed to pitch like his vintage self a few times. On his last start at Wrigley, he threw 7 1/3 shutout innings versus the Reds with only two strikeouts and two walks.

 

July 24, 2020: Hendricks begins the Covid-shortened season with a shutout

In a season in which we were lucky to even have 60 games of baseball, Hendricks started it off on an excellent note. He didn’t walk a single Brewer in a complete game shutout where he also struck out nine. He had a 2.88 ERA across 12 starts this season, and collected a few Cy Young votes along with teammate Yu Darvish. This marks the last time the Cubs won the division as well. 

May 3rd, 2019: Hendricks throws a Maddux against the Cardinals

A Maddux is a complete game shutout achieved in fewer than 100 pitches thrown. Hendricks took it to a new level against the Cardinals, when he threw a complete game shutout on 81 pitches. Only a handful of players in MLB history have thrown a shutout on less pitches, including Greg Maddux himself.

October 17th, 2017: Hendricks shuts down Nationals in Game 1 of the NLDS

Hendricks fired seven shutout innings, striking out six in what feels like the last time the Cubs seemed like a “great” team in the playoffs. Hendricks accomplished this feat against one of the most powerful lineups in baseball that season. He used nothing but finesse to stifle a Nationals lineup featuring Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy. 

May 21st, 2015: Hendricks throws his first career shutout

Although this one wasn’t a Maddux, Hendricks only needed 108 pitches to shut out the Padres in what was only his 22nd career appearance. This was one of the early moments in 2015 that was a sign of things to come for the Cubs as a whole, as well as marking Hendricks’ ascension into Cubs lore. 

November 2nd, 2016: Hendricks starts Game 7 of the World Series

This one is less about Hendricks’ individual performance, and more about him being the starting pitcher of the game that broke a 108-year curse. Hendricks held the Cubs’ lead through 4 2/3 innings, allowing only one run, before the real drama started in the bullpen. There's no use questioning the decision-making since the Cubs won the game, but Hendricks clearly could have gone further (and maybe have reduced the general heart rate in Chicago that night by about 20 bpm).

October 22nd, 2016: Hendricks’ 7.1 shutout innings in Game 6 of the NLCS propel Cubs to World Series

The offense got going early off Clayton Kershaw, scoring at least one run in four out of the five first innings of the game. Hendricks allowed only two hits to a stacked Dodgers lineup featuring up-and-coming superstars Joc Pederson and Corey Seager, as well as perennial All-Stars like Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley. Joe Maddon gave the ball to Aroldis Chapman immediately after Hendricks to close out the remainder of the game. The Dodgers were no match for these two pitchers with polar opposite repertoires. There's no guarantee the Cubs even win this series without The Professor.

If you want an in-depth write-up of this heroic start, check out Matt Trueblood's piece here.

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What's your favorite start from this list? Do you have a favorite Kyle Hendricks memory that isn't here? Let us know in the comments!

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