Kyle Hendricks's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (back) is expected to have a rehab start later this week, according to manager Craig Counsell. The right-hander has been throwing off the mound and appears to be doing well. Hendricks was placed on the 15-day injured list last Tuesday due to a lower back injury. The assumption is that Hendricks will return to the Cubs rotation after one rehab start. He was off to a rough start to the season before going down due to injury. Fantasy managers can probably wait until he gets back on track before adding him again.

The Chicago Cubs placed pitchers Kyle Hendricks (back) and Drew Smyly (hip) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and recalled infielder Matt Mervis, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and left-hander Luke Little from Triple-A Iowa in corresponding moves. The 34-year-old Hendricks has been downright bad so far in 2024, posting a 12.00 ERA in his first five starts, but hopefully his back injury was mostly to blame. If left-hander Justin Steele (hamstring) is able to return from his IL stint before Hendricks does, which is likely, Hendricks could find himself out of a rotation spot when he's ready to return. With Hendricks out, Wesneski is a candidate to fill his rotation spot until Steele is able to return. Little will give the Cubs another left-handed arm out of the bullpen to replace Smyly.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks is looking to build off his solid 2023 season after returning from a worrisome shoulder injury that caused him to get a late start last spring training. Hendricks looked good in a live batting practice session last Saturday and was sitting around 86-88 mph with his fastballs. The 34-year-old soft-tossing veteran didn't throw his first bullpen session last spring until Feb. 24 and didn't make his season debut until May while working back from a capsular tear in his right shoulder. Upon his return, Hendricks "felt completely normal again," and it was backed up the fact that he topped 90 mph on a fastball 14 times while seeing the highest spin rate of his career on his changeup. Hendricks will be a key starter for Chicago's rotation, but there's just not much fantasy upside due to his lack of strikeouts.