Cubs move struggling Kyle Hendricks from rotation to bullpen

(670 The Score) The Cubs have moved struggling veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks from their starting rotation to the bullpen, manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday afternoon.

Hendricks won’t start when the Cubs host the Braves on Thursday, which had been his next scheduled turn through the rotation. The 34-year-old Hendricks has a 10.57 ERA and 1.99 WHIP in seven starts this season. The Cubs are 2-5 in games that he has started.

“We’ll play these games and kind of figure it out,” Counsell said. “Thursday will be somewhat of a bullpen game, then we’ll go from there.”

Counsell was then asked if Hendricks’ removal from the starting rotation was a permanent move or a temporary one.

“I wouldn’t say either,” Counsell said. “Our pitching is precarious enough right now that we can’t (commit) to anything long-term, we are going day-by-day with a lot of this right now, and I think we should. The goal still is to get Kyle on track and get him back in the rotation. That’s absolutely what I’d like to do, yeah.”

The Cubs don’t have a set situation or “particular spot” in which they’ll be dedicated to using Hendricks out of the bullpen, Counsell said. Hendricks took the news like a professional, Counsell added.

“He wants to do what he can to help the team,” Counsell said. “That never wavers for Kyle. He’s willing. He doesn’t have to be happy with it, but I think he still knows he’s going to do whatever he can to help the Cubs win games.”

Hendricks has made one relief appearance in his career, with that coming in 2016. He has made 253 career starts, all with the Cubs.