Kyle Hendricks waved to grateful fans after what could be his last game with the Cubs, and Chicago defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Saturday. Isaac Paredes and Pete Crow-Armstrong each had singles that drove in runs during a three-run eighth inning.
Hendricks allowed just two singles, including an infield hit, and walked two batters over 7 1/3 innings, all while facing strong winds at Wrigley Field. The 34-year-old pitcher struck out two batters and had a stretch where he retired 11 in a row.
A member of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series team, Hendricks is set to become a free agent after finishing a contract worth $70 million over five years.
After leaving the mound, he received hugs from teammates and a warm ovation from the crowd of 38,180. He later came out of the dugout to wave at the fans.
“You feel all the emotions, man, feel so lucky,” Hendricks said. “I’m so happy. I had my whole family here today up in the stands. I’m sure they’re crying.
“Just for the fans to give me that, from the moment I showed up at the ballpark today kind of celebrating me. Part of me hates it. I hate all the attention. But at the end I have to soak in all these moments.”
Hendricks has played all 11 of his major league seasons with the Cubs. He became an important part of their rotation after debuting in 2014, but shoulder injuries affected his performance in 2022 and 2023, leading to a move to the bullpen.
“I just tried my best to stay locked onto the task at hand,” Hendricks said.
In the eighth inning, Dansby Swanson doubled off Buck Farmer (3-2). Justin Wilson came in to pitch, and Cody Bellinger singled while Seiya Suzuki was intentionally walked.
Paredes, coming in to pinch hit, then hit a single to center that scored the first run. Pete Crow-Armstrong followed with another RBI single, and Mike Tauchman walked with the bases loaded.
Tyson Miller (5-1) got two outs in the eighth inning, and Porter Hodge pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 12 opportunities, completing a three-hitter.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell sent pitching coach Tommy Hottovy to the mound to take Hendricks out after he reached 81 pitches. This meant a lot to Hendricks, whose teammates later created a pyramid of 22 baseballs—one for each out he recorded on Saturday—by his locker.
“Tommy’s meant so much to me,” Hendricks said. “He’s seen literally every single pitch, every single bullpen I’ve thrown. He’s been here the whole time. I can’t thank him enough just for sticking with me.”
Hendricks, with a career record of 97-81, finished this season at 4-12 with a 5.92 ERA. He plans to keep pitching and hopes to stay with the Cubs, but he seems ready to consider playing for another team.
“The door isn’t closed here, but just the way most things happen, it’s most likely going to end up being somewhere else,” Hendricks said.
Cincinnati has now lost five games in a row. The Reds were shut out for the 16th time and held to three hits or fewer for the 20th time.
“The offense has been dormant here the last couple of days,” said Reds interim manager Freddie Benavides. “Vintage Hendricks today. Just put the ball in play. I think we had, what, around 10 flyball outs, so it’s something that we can’t do with the conditions here.”
Reds starter Rhett Lowder allowed three hits in five innings. The 22-year-old right-hander, who was the seventh overall pick in last year’s amateur draft, debuted on August 30 and finished with a record of 2-2 and a 1.17 ERA in six starts. He struck out 22 batters and walked 14 in 30 2/3 innings, and he didn’t allow any home runs.
