Kyle Hendricks, the key contributor to the Chicago Cubs' 2016 championship, has announced his retirement, concluding a 12-year professional career.

Kyle Hendricks, who played a crucial role in breaking the Chicago Cubs’ 108-year title drought, will conclude his career following a season with the Los Angeles Angels, his hometown team.

Nicknamed "The Professor," this Dartmouth graduate thrived in a fastball-dominated era by mastering a precise combination of changeups and sinkers over 12 seasons, appearing in 307 games (301 starts) with a 3.79 ERA. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Cubs, becoming a cornerstone during the team’s golden era.

During his 11 seasons with the Cubs, Hendricks appeared in 276 games (270 starts) and posted a 3.68 ERA. His 270 starts tie him for ninth in franchise history with Hippo Vaughn, and his 1,259 strikeouts rank seventh in team history.

The Cubs acquired Hendricks from the Rangers before the 2012 trade deadline, trading starting pitcher Ryan Dempster. The right-hander made his major league debut on July 10 two years later and gradually developed into a rotation mainstay.

In 2014, Hendricks posted a 2.46 ERA over 13 starts and finished seventh in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. He excelled in 2016 with 31 appearances (30 starts) and a 2.13 ERA, leading the majors in ERA and placing third in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

The 2016 postseason was Hendricks’ breakout moment. In Game 6 of the NLCS, he pitched 7.1 scoreless innings to outduel Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw, helping the Cubs reach the World Series for the first time since 1945. In Game 7, he started and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) over 4.2 innings, witnessing the Cubs end their championship drought dating back to 1908.

In his farewell season with the Cubs in 2024, Hendricks had an up-and-down performance but closed out perfectly with 7.1 scoreless innings against the Reds on September 28. Before becoming a free agent last season, he was the last remaining player from the 2016 championship team and the longest-tenured Cub at that time.

The Newport Beach native then signed a one-year deal with his hometown Angels, pitching 31 starts and 164.2 innings in the 2025 season with a 4.76 ERA.