Chicago Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks entered the 2016 season as a backend starter in the team’s rotation. But through the month of August, Hendricks has emerged as one of the Cubs best pitchers.
Now he’s drawing a comparison to a MLB legend, sort of.
Following Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Pittsburgh, Hendricks received some praise from Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. Here’s what Hurdle said following the game:
Clint Hurdle on Kyle Hendricks: "I thought I was back in 1987, and I was watching Greg Maddux pitch."
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) August 31, 2016
It’s a big comparison especially for a pitcher like Hendricks who relies on his location to be successful, something Maddux did so damn well. But the only thing off about the comparison is the year.
In 1987, Maddux was 6-14 with a 5.61 ERA with the Cubs. It wasn’t until that next season, 1988, where he really found his groove. Maddux earned an All-Star appearance that season and finished the year 18-8 with a 3.18 ERA. The following season he was even better.
Maddux won the NL Cy Young Award in 1998 posting a 2.95 ERA and going 19-12 for the team.
Hendricks finished August going 4-0 with a 1.28 ERA. He now has an MLB-best 2.09 ERA.
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