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In preparation for the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Angels have added a World Series champion to their squad.

A one-year, $2.5 million deal was reportedly agreed upon by Kyle Hendricks, the last player standing from the 2016 World Series roster of the Chicago Cubs, on Wednesday.

The Angels will have to make a matching move once this deal with the Wasserman client is finalized; they presently have a full 40-man roster.

Even though the Angels drafted Hendricks in the 39th round in 2008, he chose to attend Dartmouth instead. Hendricks’ father had a strong relationship to the Angels organization; he worked in the ticket office for six years while Hendricks was a teenager.

After starting the season with the Chicago Cubs with an ERA of 5.92, the 34-year-old improved in the second half after being moved to the bullpen. He had a 4.41 ERA from the middle of July till the regular season ended. He finished his eleven-year career with the Cubs in late September with 7.1 scoreless innings in his last start.

Hendricks acknowledged that, had the Cubs’ young pitchers maintained their health throughout last season, he may have been released by the club at some point (4-12, 5.92 ERA). According to the Cubs, he was duly honored at Wrigley Field during his final game with the team, which was the second-to-last game of the season.

As his 35th birthday approaches in December, Hendricks will experience a first in his career—playing for a team other than the Cubs. Despite being drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2011, he did not make his major league debut until July 2012, when he was traded to the Cubs along with Ryan Dempster to Texas.

The Angels are hoping that Hendricks, who showed signs of consistency in his 2024 play, can maintain that level of play in 2025. Hendricks is also anticipated to serve as an invaluable mentor to the team’s youthful pitching staff, which is in dire need of direction.

A squad that wants to be competitive in 2025 should strengthen their rotation. There could be more well-known pitchers on the market, but Hendricks has a proven track record of dependability. Also, the club’s usual frugal approach to rotation expenditure is in line with his anticipated pay, so he’ll be right at home this season.

In the meantime, the Cubs have formally ended their curse-breaking roster era and moved on.