Hendricks, who started Game 7 when the Cubs ended their World Series title drought in 2016, says the passionate fan base made his time there unforgettable.

Since June 25, Cubs starters have a 3.02 ERA, best in baseball. The next closest staff, the Boston Red Sox, is at 3.31. These pitchers aren’t elite at getting groundballs or strikeouts. But they limit walks and hard contact and have an entire defense that helps them limit damage.