As the 2024 campaign wore on, the realization began to hit Kyle Hendricks: it could be the end of his 11-season tenure with the Cubs.

For starters, it was the last year of his contract. But most importantly, it was what was occurring on the field that brought him to that moment.

“It’s a results-based league,” Hendricks said on a Zoom call on Friday afternoon when he was introduced as the newest pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. “I love Chicago. I love the organization so much and everyone with the Cubs, the fans [are] amazing, Wrigley Field, everything that comes with it. So of course, I would have loved to be a Cub my whole life, if it could have happened.

“But again, you have to produce, and it just didn’t happen for me. So, they’re in the window right now where they’re really looking to go win with what they have set up. And I’m happy for that.”

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In a lot of ways that quote sums up Hendricks and what’s made him so successful. He’s always been self-aware and known what he must do to have success.

This past season, when results weren’t going his way, he always showed appreciation to manager Craig Counsell and the Cubs front office brass for continuing to hand him opportunities to pitch his way out of it.

Part of that was due to need — injuries decimated the Cubs pitching depth early in the season and Hendricks was absolutely needed. But part of it was his track record, too. This was a pitcher who had started Game 7 of a World Series, had won an ERA title and had developed into a franchise stalwart.

It’s why the Cubs and Hendricks don’t feel like it’s a forever farewell.

“I do feel like a guy with him, you know it’s not goodbye,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said this week. “I would be quite shocked at some point when he’s done pitching if he’s not working for the Cubs in some capacity, or around the ballpark a lot.”

The feeling is mutual.

“It’s just so nice and relieving to know that I have that waiting in the future if it is a possibility,” Hendricks said. “Chicago will always be so special in my heart. It’s family.

“They made my family feel so safe and so secure and just had so many good memories created there that will always have that connection.”

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For now, though, the Professor is just excited to return to a major league mound in 2025. Despite all his struggles, he felt some mechanical cues click for him near the end of the year, which culminated in his 7.1 shutout innings of 2-hot baseball against the Reds in his final start as a Cub.

He’ll suit up for his hometown team doing so, too. Hendricks grew up half an hour from Angel Stadium and his dad worked in the ticket sales office for the team.

“For myself, I’m just happy I have another opportunity to play baseball,” Hendricks said. “I just love pitching and playing so much. And I’m so excited to be joining this organization, the Angels. They have so many good young players. I’m so excited to meet these young pitchers.

“And I just love talking baseball and talking pitching, especially with the young guys. So really excited to dive into that and hopefully just win a lot of ball games, gel as a group and just all get better together.”