Cardinals: Why Oli Marmol can’t wait for Kyle Hendricks to retire

After getting shutdown by the right-hander once again, St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol can’t wait for Kyle Hendricks to retire.

For years, Kyle Hendricks has led the Chicago Cubs’ rotation. And for years, he has dominated the St. Louis Cardinals.

That was no different on Friday, as Hendricks and the Cubs beat the Cardinals, 3-0. Hendricks pitched 7.1 scoreless innings while allowing only five hits. And in 25 career starts against them, Hendricks has improved to 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA while producing a 112/26 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 160.2 innings.

Ownage. And the Cardinals have had enough of it.

“I’m ready for him to retire,” manager Oli Marmol joked to reporters after the game including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

It’s hard to blame him. While the rest of baseball has taken advantage of Hendricks, 32, to the tune of a 5.43 ERA, the Cardinals still can’t figure him out. He had allowed six or more runs in four separate games this season. A star-studded lineup in St. Louis, meanwhile, was once again silenced, as they have now been shutout six times (four at home) this season.

Fortunately for the Cardinals, the loss didn’t cost them any ground in the standings. The Brewers, who they are tied atop the National League Central with, were pummeled by the Toronto Blue Jays. But the shutouts can’t happen. The offense is too talented, too expensive, to be shut down like that, especially against a struggling pitcher like Hendricks.

The good news is that while Hendricks may not retire any time soon, given that he’s signed until 2024, he’s already the subject of trade rumors in Chicago. It’s unclear how likely a trade is, but that would be one way to not worry about him going forward … unless he’s traded to a National League contender.