Boston Red Sox Closer Liam Hendriks Starting Triple-A Rehab Assignment on Sunday

Liam Hendriks, a 35-year-old former All-Star who underwent cancer treatment and Tommy John surgery in 2023, will be making his first appearance for the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate on Sunday.

Aug 6, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks (31) warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. / William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

Right-handed relief pitcher Liam Hendriks will be taking the mound for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox on Sunday, manager Chad Tracy confirmed to MassLive.com's Katie Morrison-O'Day and other reporters Saturday.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora already told the media on Wednesday that Hendriks was likely to start his rehab assignment this weekend.

Hendriks, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Red Sox in February, has yet to take the mound at any competitive level in 2024. He underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2023, two months after he was placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation.

Just before the start of 2023 Spring Training, Hendriks announced he would be undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was cancer-free by that April, but he still missed the first two months of the regular season.

Hendriks, as a result, has appeared in just five MLB games over the last 23 months. He could snap that drought if he does indeed get activated in September, which is dependent on how he performs in Triple-A.

The 35-year-old righty was previously one of the most dominant relievers in the game, so his potentially imminent arrival in Boston would be a welcome site for a club pushing to snag an AL Wild Card spot.

Hendriks began his career as a starter for the Minnesota Twins in 2011. He was eventually dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays and moved to the bullpen in 2015, which is when he established himself as a true workhorse.

After getting traded to the Oakland Athletics ahead of the 2016 campaign, Hendriks became an All-Star, and he continued to perform at that high level once he signed with the Chicago White Sox in 2021.

Hendriks went 19-12 with a 2.26 ERA, 0.883 WHIP, 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings, 114 saves and a 9.4 WAR from 2019 to 2022. He made three All-Star appearances and placed top 10 in AL Cy Young voting twice in that span.

Between 2015 and 2022, Hendriks ranked first among all American League pitchers with 432 appearances.

The Red Sox have another mid-30s, multi-time All-Star serving as their closer at the moment in Kenley Jansen. While Jansen is 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA, 1.093 WHIP, 23 saves and a 1.6 WAR this season, Boston's bullpen post-All-Star break has been among the worst in the majors.

Given his extensive track record, perhaps Hendriks can serve as the missing piece for the Red Sox.

Before he gets the chance to play the hero, though, he will have to prove himself in Worcester. First pitch between the WooSox and Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Sunday is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.

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