Cubs veteran Kyle Hendricks has something to prove vs. Marlins

Kyle Hendricks has made some important starts in his 11-year major league career with the Chicago Cubs, but Sunday afternoon might be his biggest outing in a while.

Hendricks (0-2, 12.71 ERA) is scheduled to face the visiting Miami Marlins in the finale of a four-game series.

The 34-year-old right-hander has endured four straight rough starts to begin the season, and management isn't hiding its dwindling patience.

"Kyle's performance needs to improve," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "We're clear on that, and I think Kyle agrees on that."

Hendricks, who led MLB with a 2.13 ERA in 2016 and helped the Cubs win the World Series that season, hasn't posted a winning season since going 14-7 in 2021, but even that year he displayed signs of decline as he posted a 4.77 ERA and surrendered an MLB-leading 200 hits.

Hendricks took a 5-4 lead into the fifth inning of his latest outing, against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, but he was pulled with the bases loaded and one out. Both teams continued to trade leads before the Diamondbacks won 12-11 in 10 innings.

The Cubs used eight pitchers in their doubleheader split on Saturday against the Marlins, so they'll at least need Hendricks to absorb some innings.

He's done well in his career against Miami, owning a 3-1 record in seven career starts with a 1.28 ERA and one of his four MLB shutouts.

"The nature of the weekend is we need innings from everybody," Counsell said.

Miami plans to start right-hander Edward Cabrera in the series finale.

Cabrera (0-0, 1.50 ERA) made his season debut on Monday after recovering from a right shoulder impingement and allowed one run and five hits in six innings of his team's 4-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He struck out 10 and walked one.

Cabrera originally was scheduled to make a fourth rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville, but he was needed against San Francisco because A.J. Puk had the flu. Miami optioned No. 3 prospect Max Meyer, another right-hander, to Jacksonville to make room for Cabrera.

"I want to be able to help the team in any way I can, and that's my mentality just being up here," Cabrera said through an interpreter. "Give everything I've got and be able to help the team."

Cabrera's fault has been his control, allowing 66 walks in 99 2/3 innings last season. He had excellent control against the Giants, however, throwing a first-pitch strike to 19 of 22 batters.

"If we get that out of Cabbie, we're going to win a lot more games," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. "We need guys to step up and provide some innings, and he provided six innings. If we get our starters to go six innings and do that, we'll be OK."

Cabrera has made four starts against the Cubs in his career and is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA.

Cubs outfielder Ian Happ likely will be unavailable for a third straight game after leaving Friday's game with left hamstring tightness.

Happ also missed time during spring training due to a left hamstring strain.

"I'd say it's unlikely you're going to see him in the lineup (Sunday), but we'll see if he's available," Counsell said. "Hopefully, he comes in (Sunday) and there's improvement and then we'll be in good shape."