Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks left Saturday’s National League Division Series game against the San Francisco Giants after taking a line drive off his arm.
Continue for updates.
Latest Details on Hendricks’ Injury
Saturday, Oct. 8
X-rays on Hendricks’ arm were negative, per Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.
Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the pitcher has a bruised arm.
Hendricks Tried to Stay in Game
Saturday, Oct. 8
Per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Cubs manager Joe Maddon removed Hendricks after the right-hander tried to talk his manager into leaving him in.
Former Cubs outfielder Angel Pagan hit the liner off an 80 mph changeup from Hendricks, and it appeared to strike his forearm. Hendricks threw a few warm-up pitches, hoping to remain in the game, before Maddon made the decision to bring Travis Wood in from the bullpen.
Hendricks’ Surprise Breakout Season Gives Cubs Dominant Rotation
Hendricks is enjoying a breakout season for Chicago that’s left him among the league leaders in every major pitching category, including ERA (2.13) and ERA+ (188), per Baseball-Reference.com. It makes the prospect of an injury setback even more concerning as the team gears up for a potentially deep postseason run.
The 26-year-old has remained durable during the early stages of his major league career. He made 32 starts last season, his first full year in the big leagues, and has been a constant cog in Chicago’s rotation throughout 2016.
The Cubs still boast depth in their starting rotation for the postseason with Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey. Hendricks is a clear difference-maker after his breakout season, and it would be a huge loss if he has to miss extended time.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com