Former Cub Kyle Hendricks voted into the “Hall of Pretty Good”

It’s hard to find a Cubs fan who does not love former World Series champion and ERA title-winning pitcher Kyle Hendricks. Fan voters inducted Hendricks into the Hall of Pretty Good this week, just months after he retired. A popular fan-created podcast and social media outlet, the Hall of Pretty Good honors baseball players who had exceptional careers, but were not quite Cooperstown-worthy.

Hendricks earned near-immortality in baseball with 94% of the 36,100 votes.

THE PROFESSOR IS IN

Kyle Hendricks received 94% of over 36,100 votes and is now officially inducted into the Hall of Pretty Good. pic.twitter.com/LsPzcoMuY2

— MLB Hall of Pretty Good (@hallofgoodpod) March 19, 2026

Hendricks is perfect for this honor.

If there is anyone who defines what it means to have an honor like this, it’s Hendricks. In 1,745 innings from 2014 to 2025, he posted a 3.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.97 FIP, 1,373 strikeouts, and 407 walks. Add on a 3.12 postseason ERA in 57.2 innings. His career-defining moment was his 7.1 inning gem against the Dodgers in the 2016 pennant clincher at Wrigley Field. For a guy drafted in the eighth round out of Dartmouth who relied on location and changing speeds, that’s a really nice decade-long run of pitching in the Majors.

On top of being a good pitcher, he’s a beloved person by fans and former teammates alike. As a player he was calm as a cucumber on the mound, and well spoken off of it. One would not know by his tone or demeanor if he was pitching a game in April or Game 7 of the World Series, which he started in 2016.

Even with his accomplishments, he always flew under the radar. His pitching style was never flashy, nor was he a big personality. Back in 2016 he pitched to an MLB-best 2.13 ERA in 190 innings, greatly exceeding expectations, but was part of a rotation with big names like Jon Lester, John Lackey, and the rising star Jake Arrieta. He went from a solid back-end starter to “The Professor” very quickly in Chicago, without getting the same fanfare as the big All-Star names nationally.

Future honors for Hendricks.

Although Hendricks is unlikely to reach the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Chicago Cubs will almost certainly enshrine him in their team Hall of Fame. His postseason accomplishments alone make a strong case, especially alongside his 3.68 ERA and 97 wins as a Cub. He currently ranks ninth in games started in franchise history, as well as 22nd in both innings pitched and wins.

In the end, it’s cool to see Hendricks get some love from the baseball community. He was and will always be one of the more underrated pitchers of the 2010s.

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