Pre-All Star Break Kyle Hendricks is perhaps the worst he has been while wearing a Chicago Cubs uniform. Plain and simple, the right-hander struggled mightily with his location and was not fooling anyone at the plate.
Hendricks’ 2.53 BB/9 rate was very un-Professor like. Hendricks surrendered 31 walks in the first half and on five occasions he walked three or more batters in a game.
More concerning however was Hendricks’ inability to keep the ball in the park. He posted a 1.39 HR/9 rate before the Midsummer Classic, which is the highest it’s ever been.