Kyle Hendricks' days with the Chicago Cubs may be numbered, but the team has not given an indication of whether they will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. With two weeks until the deadline, the Cubs are 8 1/2 games out of first place in the NL Central, a figure that may be too tall to overcome.

Hendricks, who's spent his entire 10-year MLB career with the Cubs, has made it clear he wants to stay in Chicago. He has a $16 million team option for 2024, one the Cubs will likely take if they hang onto him past Aug. 1.

“I have so much respect for them,” Hendricks said, via Patrick Mooney. “I’ve appreciated all the respect they’ve shown me, and all the leeway and all the opportunities they’ve given me. The narrative’s out there. They know where we’re all at. And I know where the team’s at. At the end of the day, it is what it is. It’s business.”

Hendricks has been rather good for the Cubs this season. In 10 starts he has a 3.57 ERA with five quality starts. He's allowed nine runs across his last two starts.

Chicago will be expected to contend for the playoffs again next season and more pressure will be on the Cubs if they miss out on the postseason in 2023. Having Kyle Hendricks around in the clubhouse and in the rotation will help the Cubs a ton in 2024. Trading him away may net the team a few assets, but keeping him around for at least another season could be more valuable to the team than anything they'd get in return.