Inside The Cubs

Veteran Starter Will Return to Chicago Cubs Rotation This Season

The Chicago Cubs will welcome back one of their veteran starters to the rotation shortly after the start of the 2023 MLB season.
Kade Kistner|
Veteran Starter Will Return to Chicago Cubs Rotation This Season
Veteran Starter Will Return to Chicago Cubs Rotation This Season

In this story:

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have a good problem heading into the season: they have to many quality starters. In fact, they have so many starters that can provide meaningful innings the MLB level that they could conceivably run out a seven-man rotation. 

That being said, the Cubs will employ a traditional five-man rotation this season and veteran starter Kyle Hendricks will be one of the five. The last remaining player from the 2016 World Series winning squad, Hendricks has been dealing with a capsular tear in his throwing shoulder and missed significant time last season.

He is slated to miss the first month of the 2023 MLB season but once healthy will rejoin Chicago's rotation, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Maddie Lee. 

Hendricks' return means that the rotation likely looks like this: 

1. Marcus Stroman

2. Jameson Taillon

3. Justin Steele

4. Kyle Hendricks

5. Drew Smyly

Hendricks' announcement also came around the same time that manager David Ross announced that Keegan Thompson and Adbert Alzolay will not be in the rotation and will instead start the season in the bullpen. 

More From SI's Inside The Cubs

  1. Could Mike Trout Request a Trade to the Chicago Cubs?
  2. Did David Robertson Net the Cubs a Future Star in Ben Brown?
  3. Hoerner is the Cubs Shortstop of the Future
  4. Cubs Could Give Canario a Shot in September
  5. Could the Cubs Land Trea Turner in the Offseason?
  6. Chicago Cubs Have a New Top Prospect in Their Rankings
  7. Is This Top Cubs Prospect Destined for the Mound at Wrigley?
  8. Steele Offers Glimpse Into Future of Cubs Rotation
  9. Do the Chicago Cubs Have the National League's Best Bullpen?
  10. Can Christopher Morel be a Long-Term Solution in Center Field

Make sure to follow Inside the Cubs on Twitter!

Published
Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Cubs. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

Home/News