Red Sox's Possible Closer Replacement Is 'Full Go' For 2025 After Season-Long Injury

A piece of the bullpen puzzle may be falling into place

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. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox bullpen's struggles have been discussed far too often in 2024. So any potential fix for the 2025 bullpen will generate plenty of buzz as the winter approaches.

As the Red Sox wrap up a dismal second half, they will have to rebuild most of their bullpen on the fly throughout the winter. Current closer Kenley Jansen left the team before the season ended, all but confirming his time in Boston is over. Reliable setup man Chris Martin may well be on his way out too.

The Red Sox have some intriguing young relief options in-house, and they could always hit the free-agent market as well. But the man perhaps most likely to get a crack at replacing Jansen is, rightly so, the man in the Boston bullpen who already owns two Reliever of the Year awards.

35-year-old Liam Hendriks, who the Red Sox inked to a two-year deal before the season, was unable to make his return from Tommy John surgery in 2024. He attempted a comeback and even made it as far as the minor-league rehab stage, but ultimately couldn't take the mound at Fenway Park.

Hendriks also overcame a leukemia diagnosis in late 2022 and has only pitched five big-league innings in the last two years. Fortunately, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com, Hendriks said he is a "full go" for Spring Training in 2025, and hopes to compete for and earn the Red Sox's closer job.

"The shackles are off," Hendriks said. "Nothing is going to be lingering. I am a real boy as far as the offseason goes. I get to do my normal offseason program, which is good. Take a couple of weeks off, probably start bullpens again in mid to late November, and then get ready for coming into Spring Training ready and raring to go and hopefully competing for that back-end role."

Hendriks made six rehab outings in August and September as part of his comeback bid, allowing no earned runs in five innings pitched. But after he was unable to bounce back properly from his final outing on Sept. 5, the Red Sox paused his comeback bid before eventually shelving him for good.

Hendriks was never signed with 2024 in mind, though. It remains to be seen how effective he will be, but the original hope was always that he could become the closer in 2025, which looked like the more promising year for the Red Sox to contend for a playoff spot anyway.

Wherever he's gone, Hendriks' reputation has been that of a fierce competitor, excellent teammate and community steward, and an electric relief pitcher. The Red Sox desperately hope he can be the lockdown bullpen presence they need in 2025, whether that's as their closer or not.

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