Hendricks finishes his career as an integral part of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series winning team. Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

By The Athletic Staff

Nov. 10, 2025 8:28 pm EST

LAS VEGAS – Kyle Hendricks, one of the most consequential pitchers in the long history of the Chicago Cubs, has retired as a player, a league source briefed on his decision confirmed to The Athletic on Monday. The under-the-radar prospect out of Dartmouth who developed into a World Series champion is exiting the game the way he came in — with almost no fanfare.

That quiet farewell was by design.

Nicknamed “The Professor” for his cerebral approach to pitching, Hendricks did not seek the spotlight or cultivate an image on social media. His brand became his unflappable nature on the mound and gracious demeanor off the field.

Hendricks delivered clutch performances in some of the biggest moments in franchise history, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers on the night the Cubs won their first National League pennant in 71 years, and then starting Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.

While Hendricks could be a valuable resource for a front office or a coaching staff with his resume — an Ivy League degree, a 12-year career in the majors and an excellent reputation in the game — league sources indicated that he’s not looking to make that transition.

Hendricks, who will turn 36 next month, wants to spend time at home with his family and enjoy his private life.

Hendricks was leaning in this direction in September, when USA Today reported that he informed friends he planned to retire after the 2025 season. ESPN first confirmed Hendricks’ final decision, which became public knowledge at the start of Major League Baseball’s GM Meetings in Las Vegas.

During last November’s meetings, Hendricks agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, the club based near his childhood home in Southern California. He made 31 starts for the Angels in 2025, going 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA while setting an example in the clubhouse and the dugout.

“He does just such an incredible job of instilling confidence,” Cubs pitcher Justin Steele said in 2023, crediting Hendricks for helping him develop into an All-Star that season. “Not just me — it’s the entire pitching staff. He’s always watching people. He’s always paying attention to what we’re doing. He’s a veteran, but he’s out there watching every inning. Just an incredible teammate.”

Hendricks will be forever identified with the Cubs, the team that acquired him from the Texas Rangers in the Ryan Dempster deal at the 2012 trade deadline. As the Cubs rebuilt their organization, turned over their roster and renovated Wrigley Field, Hendricks became a uniquely effective pitcher and a quietly dominant force.

“Kyle was the epitome of pitching to your strengths back when the game was changing and guys were trying to throw harder and have more spin rate,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said in August. “He knew who he was, and he was committed to doing what he needed to do to be successful. He was going to study you and know where your holes were and where he could exploit you.

“Against the best hitters in the game, he was going to challenge you with what his strengths were. He wasn’t going to try to be somebody that he wasn’t.”

Even with low-end velocity, Hendricks accounted for nearly 1,600 innings with the Cubs (97-81, 3.68 ERA), becoming a key figure for the core group that qualified for the playoffs five times in a six-year span, dramatically changing the expectations in Wrigleyville.

For the rest of his life, Hendricks will be reminded of his important role in ending the 108-year championship drought. Before facing the Cubs at Angel Stadium in August, he reflected on the 2016 team’s legacy.

“The perspective was given to us,” Hendricks said, “by the front office and people who had been around for a long time, of what it would mean to win in a city like that. We really grasped that concept, ran with it, and they weren’t wrong.

“After winning in that city, it’s the number of times you get stopped, and people just saying thank you. They don’t want anything. They’re not asking for anything. They just want to tell you the story of where they were, where their grandparents were when it happened. Generational stories. That’s the special, special part of it, just how many people it impacted.”

Nov 11, 2025

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