Kyle Hendricks Dominated Last Night, Continuing What’s Looked Like a Positive Trend

When I got to class yesterday and saw the Professor reach for the same old copy of Planet Earth – you know, the one where he allows another first-inning home run and is out of the game before the end of the 5th inning – I thought to myself, “Oh, come on. Not again. We’ve read this chapter before.”

But it was my mistake. This time – after allowing two earned runs on three hits, including a double and a homer in the first – the Professor read the room, adjusted his lesson plan, and gave up just one more hit (and no walks!) for the rest of class. His final line?

A beautiful 7.0 IP, 4H, 2ER, 0BB, 8Ks:

Despite laboring through the first inning yet again, an all too common occurrence for the Cubs right-hander here in 2018, Kyle Hendricks managed to retire the last 17 batters in a row last night, stretching what looked to be another abbreviated performance into one of his finest starts of the year.

“My mindset was better, [I was] aggressive in the strike zone,” Hendricks told Cubs.com. “Even in the first inning, I made a couple bad pitches. After that, mechanics settled in, I started repeating it better. It’s just bringing the two together, repeating my mechanics from the first pitch in the first inning but keeping that same mindset, being aggressive in the strike zone, getting quicker outs. I still got in some 3-2 counts but the mindset was better.”

Watching the game yesterday, I actually expected to hear Hendricks suggest that he made some mechanical fix following the first inning, but it sounds like it was more of an “execution” mindset. And while the distinction might not make too much of a difference, I do tend to think that’s better. You don’t want a guy messing around with/changing his mechanics too much this late into the season, so it’s nice to hear that he already knows what he needs to do and simply needed to execute, rinse, and repeat.

Now let’s move beyond just yesterday for a minute. Although the results haven’t been great for Hendricks lately, there actually has been some stuff to like. For one, he hasn’t walked more than two batters in any of his last seven games. There was a brief stretch just before that where he was walking an uncharacteristically large number of guys, so that is good to see. On top of that, he also struck out eight for the second consecutive game. Needless to say, his 33 strikeouts to 5 walks since the start of July is VERY promising and reminiscent of the dominant Hendricks we’ve come to trust.

But while command was his calling card once upon a time, I’d argue that Hendricks’ ability to induce weak contact and avoid the hard stuff is actually his biggest strength. And again, for the second-consecutive game, he killed it on that front:

Soft-contact: 35.3%
Hard-contact: 17.7%

Those are *elite* numbers – if even for one game – and followed up a similar effort last time out against the Diamondbacks. Also encouraging? Hendricks induced ground balls at a 47.1% clip last night after going 50.0% in the start prior.

Altogether, then, that means that in his last two games, Hendricks has walked basically nobody, struck out plenty, gotten a ton of weak contact, and is forcing most stuff into the ground. That is a recipe for success and hopefully something he can continue to do going forward.

It’s been a down season for Kyle Hendricks overall, but there are glimpses of hope. Be it his comments, the numbers, or the numbers behind the numbers, I still believe the Professor will look a lot more like himself by the time we get to the end of the semester.

(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

more cubs news

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury (UPDATES)

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Latest News

Padres vs. Giants: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1) visit the San Diego Padres (2-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch San Diego square off against San...

Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

At Dodger Stadium on Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals (0-1) face Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) at 10:10 PM ET.The article below will provide you with everything you need to know to watch Los Angeles play St....

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Astros vs. Yankees: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Houston Astros (0-1), led by Kyle Tucker, host Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (1-0) on Friday, with first pitch at 8:10 PM ET.Find out how to watch the Houston-New York matchup below.When is Astros vs. Yankees and...

How to Watch Rays vs. Blue Jays: Live Stream or on TV

Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) host Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) on Friday, with first pitch at 6:50 PM ET.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Tampa Bay...

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury (UPDATES)

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) are heavy underdogs (+14.5) as they attempt to break an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena. The matchup airs...

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) take the court against the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) as 7.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 210 points.Cavaliers vs. 76ers OddsCavaliers odds to win:...

Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) are heavily favored (-10) to continue a three-game winning streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center. The contest airs on BSSW....

Wizards vs. Pistons Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are 2.5-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Capital One Arena. The matchup airs at 7:00 PM ET...

more cubs news