Right-hander Kyle Hendricks could be making his last appearance for the Cubs on Saturday after an 11-year run when Chicago continues its season-ending, three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Hendricks (4-12, 6.28 ERA) is scheduled to make his final start before hitting free agency this winter. He has worn a Cubs uniform for all 275 of his appearances (269 starts) in the majors and is Chicago’s last player remaining from the 2016 team that won the World Series.
If this is the end for Hendricks in the Windy City, he has gotten quite the send-off, as his last two starts of the year will end up coming at Wrigley Field. He most recently took a loss against the visiting Washington Nationals on Sept. 21, yielding four runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
“It’s so special to be here, to come and pitch at Wrigley Field as many times as I’ve gotten to,” Hendricks said after facing Washington. “It’s been super special. Definitely take it in. It’s hard not to when you’re at a setting this cool, fans packing it out every single night.
“It’s just the best place in the world to play, for sure.”
In 27 career appearances (25 starts) against Cincinnati, Hendricks is 9-6 with a 4.30 ERA. He has faced the Reds three times this year (one start), going 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA.
Reds rookie right-hander Rhett Lowder (2-2, 1.40 ERA) will be out to spoil what’s sure to be an emotional day for Hendricks and the rest of the Cubs.
Lowder blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates across five innings on Sept. 21, coming away with a win after giving up five hits. He has lasted at least five frames in four of his five big-league outings, shutting out his opponent in three of those starts.
Saturday marks Lowder’s first career appearance against Chicago (82-78).
Lowder was the last Cincinnati pitcher to get adequate run support, as the Reds (76-84) scored seven times when he took the mound against the Pirates. Since then, Cincinnati has totaled just three runs while losing four consecutive games, a rut that includes a 1-0 loss to the Cubs on Friday.
Chicago starter Jameson Taillon and two relievers mowed down the Reds with ease, leading to a contest that lasted just 1 hour, 48 minutes. According to MLB.com, it was the majors’ fastest nine-inning game in more than 14 years.
“We hit the ball in the air a little bit too much,” Cincinnati interim manager Freddie Benavides said. “With the wind blowing in as hard as it was, it was a challenge, and we knew going in, (we’re) probably gonna have to mix in a couple hits and score some runs.”
Benavides is now 0-3 since taking over for the fired David Bell. The Reds have just 14 hits under his watch.
Second baseman Jonathan India was one of the few bright spots for Cincinnati on Friday, going 2-for-3 to log a third multi-hit performance in his past six games. He is 6-for-17 (.353) during that span.
Despite falling in the opener of the current series, the Reds still have a 7-4 record against Chicago this year.
