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Former White Sox Standout Looks Like He Won't Make it Back This Season with New Team

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023 with the Chicago White Sox, it doesn't look like ace reliever Liam Hendriks will be able to make it back this year for the Boston Red Sox.

Brady Farkas

Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks (31) warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Aug 6.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks (31) warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Aug 6. / William Purnell-Imagn Images
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It's starting to look like reliever Liam Hendriks will not be able to make it back this season for the Boston Red Sox.

Hendriks has been rehabbing Tommy John surgery that he underwent last season as a member of the Chicago White Sox. He signed a two-year deal with Boston this offseason and the hope was that he could pitch this year and in 2025, but it's looking like 2025 only is the more likely possibility.

Per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe:

Cora says Sox are “very close” to deciding Hendriks won’t be able to make it back this year.

Hendriks has made six rehab appearances for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox this season, giving up zero runs in five innings. He's struck out three.

A three-time All-Star, the 35-year-old Hendriks is a 13-year big league veteran. He has played for the Twins, Royals, Blue Jays, Athletics and White Sox.

He starred with Chicago when healthy from 2021-2022. He led the league in saves in 2021 with 38. He also helped the White Sox get to the playoffs that year. Hendriks is just one of many members of that playoff team to no longer be with the organization. Dylan Cease, and Lucas Giolito, among others, have been traded. Jose Abreu left in free agency after 2022.

For his career, he's 33-34 with a 3.82 ERA. He's got 116 career saves, the bulk of which have come since 2019.

Given that Kenley Jansen is a free agent after the season, Hendriks could serve as the Red Sox closer in 2025.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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