CHICAGO/ANAHEIM, November 11, 2025 – The final chapter has been written for one of baseball’s most cerebral and impactful pitchers. Right-hander Kyle Hendricks, affectionately known as “The Professor,” has officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after a 12-year journey, according to reporter Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Hendricks, 35, finishes his decorated career as a World Series champion, an ERA Title winner, and a beloved figure who helped end the Chicago Cubs’ 108-year title drought.
An Indelible Legacy
Hendricks spent 11 seasons (2014-2024) with the Cubs before signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels for his final season in 2025. His legacy is defined not by overpowering velocity, but by elite command, a devastating changeup, and clutch postseason brilliance:
- Career Totals: 105 wins, 91 losses, a 3.79 ERA, and 1,373 strikeouts over 1,745 innings pitched.
- 2016 ERA Title: He led all of Major League Baseball with a phenomenal 2.13 ERA in 2016, finishing third in the NL Cy Young Award voting.
- The Postseason Hero: His greatest moments came in the 2016 playoffs, where he pitched to a microscopic 1.42 ERA over 25.1 innings. He delivered a masterful 7.1 scoreless innings in Game 6 of the NLCS to defeat the Dodgers and clinch the pennant, and he started the decisive Game 7 of the World Series.
The decision was expected after the conclusion of the 2025 season, during which he pitched with the Angels (8-10 record, 4.76 ERA over 31 starts) close to his Southern California roots.
A Career Defined by Intellect
A graduate of Dartmouth College, Hendricks earned his famous nickname by outsmarting hitters with pinpoint location and exceptional sequencing rather than raw heat. His ability to pitch effectively despite an average fastball velocity in the high-80s makes his career one of the most unique and respected of his generation.
His retirement marks the end of an era, as another key member of the Cubs’ iconic 2016 championship core hangs up his cleats.
Kyle Hendricks’s departure leaves a void in veteran leadership on the Los Angeles Angels, who are looking to rebuild their rotation. Given the Angels’ pitching needs, would you like to know the latest projections for Japanese NPB star pitcher Tatsuya Imai, who the Angels could potentially target to replace Hendricks?
