The Chicago Cubs have made a major announcement about their plans for the upcoming MLB trade deadline.
Jed Hoyer has come out and stated that he doesn't envision the Cubs trying to make win-now moves for just the 2024 season. That doesn't mean that Chicago will be full-blown sellers, but they won't pursue half-season rentals. It could also mean that he'd be willing to sell off talent that isn't in the team's long-term plans.
With that in mind, there are quite a few veteran players that could fit the bill of someone that the Cubs are open to moving. One longtime fan favorite and star could be among the players available.
Veteran starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks could be moved.
During the 2024 MLB season, Hendricks has struggled to get things going. He has shown some positive flashes, but has also had some horrific outings. Whether or not a team would have interest in trading for him would be the question.
Recently, DelawareOnline took a look at players around the league who could be traded. Hendricks was on the list when it came to Chicago.
Throughout the 2024 season so far, Hendricks has appeared in 18 games, with 13 of those being starts. He has compiled a 2-8 record to go along with a 6.69 ERA, a 1.49 WHIP, a 2.2 K/BB ratio, and 75.1 innings pitched.
Those simply aren't the numbers that fans have become used to seeing from the 34-year-old pitcher.
Back in 2023, Hendricks was much better. He went 6-8 on the year, but had a 3.74 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, a 3.4 K/BB ratio, and 137.0 innings pitched in 24 starts.
A team needing pitching could view him as a buy-low candidate. If he can get back on track, he can be a very valuable piece in a rotation. Should he not turn things around, he's playing in his final season of his current contract.
Moving on from Hendricks would feel strange for the Cubs. He has been an integral part of the roster for many years. Seeing him somewhere else would just seem wrong.
All of that being said, Chicago is entering a pivotal phase as they look to get back into World Series contention. They need to be aggressive in figuring out how to right the ship.
Expect to hear a ton of rumors about the Cubs over the next week. They could end up selling, or they could try to buy talent under contract for the future. Either way, Hoyer has a lot of work to do.
