Column: How did the Chicago Cubs let Kyle Hendricks join the Detroit Tigers front office?

It was almost a given that Kyle Hendricks would join a front office after his baseball career ended. He obviously has the baseball knowledge, not to mention the Ivy League pedigree so many modern-day owners look for in choosing executives. But most of the media speculation was that Hendricks would wind up in the Chicago Cubs front office, joining the organization he spent all but one season of his major-league career.

Instead, Hendricks was named a Detroit Tigers special assistant, as first reported by The Athletic. The Tigers are led by two former Cubs execs — President Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg — so there is a history that led to the reunion. Still, you’d think Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts would do whatever was possible to get Hendricks back in Chicago, working under President Jed Hoyer.

“I talked to Kyle and we’ve got a great relationship,” Hoyer told reporters Friday. “We talked about his decision to go there before he did it. The Cubs and Kyle have a great relationship.

I’ll let him explain why and what his role (is) and how he’s going about it, but certainly there’s nothing negative there and I think I’ve said it a million times, I can’t imagine an easier and better teammate for 10 years. Everything’s great with Kyle. ” A special assistant title can mean anything, and it doesn’t necessarily lead to a long future in the front office.