Humble all the way through, Kyle Hendricks is finding his best form once again

CHICAGO (670 The Score) — As the even-keeled look on his face suggests, Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks hasn’t let this all feel different.

Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” played just before 1:20 on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field as Hendricks stepped out to the pitcher’s mound. He then spent 5 2/3 innings flustering hitters before walking off to a standing ovation. Like so many times before, Hendricks earned the W next to his name as the Cubs beat the Giants, 6-5.

But this season has been anything but the same for the 34-year-old Hendricks, who has endured struggles unlike any he has experienced before in baseball. At times, it has seemed like the longest-tenured Cubs player has remained a year too many.

Hendricks was 0-4 with a 10.57 ERA over his first seven starts of the season before he was demoted to a bullpen role, one in which he was simply asked to eat innings rather than pitch in high-leverage moments. Hendricks may have been on a path to being designated for assignment – and perhaps forced into the end of his esteemed career – if it wasn’t for the injuries to and the inconsistencies of this Cubs pitching staff.

Rather than hanging his head, Hendricks has embraced the work just as he has the monumental moments of his 11-year MLB career.

Hendricks is back in the Cubs’ rotation following injuries to rookies Ben Brown (neck) and Jordan Wicks (oblique), and he sure seems to be near his best form again. He threw 5 2/3 innings of one-run baseball Wednesday, striking out eight hitters and leading the Cubs to a much-needed victory.

Led by Hendricks, the Cubs earned their first three-game series victory since May 12 in Pittsburgh. It marked Hendricks' first win of the season and the culmination of a challenging stretch.

“I was so far from who I was as a pitcher,” Hendricks said. “I really had to commit my process, commit to getting better every day and almost reset and restart my career.”

After allowing 41 earned runs in his first 35 1/3 innings of work this season, Hendricks pitched 15 2/3 consecutive shutout innings before allowing his lone run Wednesday.

Hendricks generated 13 swing-and-misses against the Giants, trusting his curveball as a more important part of his pitch selection alongside the vintage sinker and changeup. It kept the Giants off-balance at the plate.

Demoted to a bullpen role following his May 17 start, Hendricks hasn’t allowed himself to drown in thoughts about his own struggles.

He has channeled this into improvement.

“The great thing about Kyle is he never stops trying to figure it out,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And he’s open to changing things, getting better, making adjustments. And that’s how you get out of that stuff, that’s how you get to this place, that’s how you keep going.

“It’s a growth mindset. It’s a mindset that gets you to that place. I think that point with his accomplishments, his career, it’s easy to say, ‘This is the way I’ve done it.’ And I think Kyle’s real gift is that he’s open, he’s willing to make those adjustments and make changes.

“That’s why he ended up in a place like this.”

Hendricks has earned his place as one of the all-time great Cubs pitchers during the course of his career, one that includes an ERA title in his third MLB season, countless clutch performances in key games and a leading role as part of the franchise’s World Series championship back in 2016.

But Hendricks has encountered adversity across the past four years, which included a capsular tear in his right shoulder in 2022 and a search for his old self on the mound.

Hendricks had a 3.12 ERA over his first seven MLB seasons. Entering Wednesday, he had a 4.81 ERA since the start of 2021.

“Never once has he complained about anything,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “He has shown up to do his job every day. I think there are so many valuable life lessons in that. Sometimes when you get beat down a little bit, the best thing to do is continue to get back up and push forward. He has done that. He has shown not only to himself but to all of us in here the ability to persevere. That’s such a great quality to have.

“It’s challenging. It’s a game of failure. This game is not designed for you to be successful. Any time you go to the plate, every time you go to the mound, it’s really, really hard. But toughness is a learned quality. This game will definitely make you better for it.”

During a postgame press conference late Wednesday afternoon that lasted nearly nine minutes, Hendricks on three separate occasions pointed out how he’s hopeful to see Brown and Wicks return to the Cubs’ starting rotation. Hendricks is sincere in those wishes, even knowing well what it might mean for himself.

Hendricks is set to become a free agent this offseason. Given the organization’s pitching depth, he's likely in his final season with the Cubs.

In overcoming his own struggles on the mound, Hendricks has taken back control of his place with the Cubs with the goal of playing a valuable role every fifth day.

“I just really want to be a part and contribute to winning baseball," Hendricks said.

“I still have a long way to go.”

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .