I don’t understand what’s wrong with Kyle Hendricks so far in 2024.
His velocity seems fine. The difference in velocity between his fastball and changeup seems fine. He doesn’t appear to be injured.
And yet, as in Wednesday’s 10-2 Padres blowout of the Cubs, opposing hitters kept smashing the ball hard to right field. I lost count at the number of extra-base hits that went to right field, hit by both righthanded and lefthanded San Diego hitters.
Hendricks has a reputation as a slow starter — even before this year, his April numbers were his worst of any month.