The Cubs and Kyle Hendricks are reportedly working on a contract extension

Here’s the news report on Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs working on a contract extension:

Most of you know I’ve been a big fan of Hendricks from even before he made his MLB debut in 2014. He’s a throwback to the way starting pitchers worked years or even decades ago — not trying to blow away hitters with velocity, instead using a devastating changeup and location to induce weak contact. Kyle’s best games are the ones where he doesn’t walk guys, which is most of the time, and has lots of ground ball outs.

Here are some scenes from Hendricks’ near no-hitter against the Giants in June, including a fantastic catch by Mike Tauchman [VIDEO].

While Kyle had two bad years in 2021 and 2022, that very possibly could have been due to shoulder issues which forced him to miss the second half of the 2022 season. Hendricks chose not to have shoulder surgery, instead rehabbing the injury, and this year in 24 starts posted a 3.74 ERA and 1.204 WHIP. That’s not anywhere near the level he pitched at in his 2016-17 peak, but it’s pretty close to his 2018-19 level. His 2023 season was worth 1.5 bWAR; with WAR being a counting stat that’s about a 2 WAR season if he’d made 30+ starts.

Which is why it’s absolutely, positively worth keeping Kyle Hendricks in a Cubs uniform for a few more years. The team has a $16 million option for 2024, which they’d almost certainly exercise, but the report of a contract extension means that perhaps they’d tear up that deal and work out a multi-year contract.

Hendricks turns 34 in December. I don’t see any reason not to make a three-year offer with, perhaps, a fourth-year vesting option. Since he doesn’t rely on velocity — and his velo was pretty good in 2023, occasionally touching 90 — I’d think he could pitch at this level for at least three more years.

My thought: Three years, $54 million, with a fourth-year option for $16 million or a $6 million buyout.

Who says no?