Red Sox Two-Time Reliever Of The Year To Throw Live BP, Enter Rehab Assignment

One of Boston's most experienced arms is on the road back to the mound

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The Boston Red Sox bullpen hasn’t been the healthiest of entities this season, but the tide is turning.

Reportedly, Chris Martin is approaching a return to the mound very shortly for Boston.

Behind Martin on the road to recovery — though nonetheless advancing — is three-time All-Star reliever Liam Hendriks.

The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey provided a promising update on Hendriks ahead of Boston’s Saturday night battle versus the Texas Rangers.

“Liam Hendriks has been cleared to throw live BPs,” McCaffery said. “He’s going to throw the first one Tuesday likely in Worcester. He’ll have three live BPs and if all goes well he could go on rehab assignment.”

Hendriks has had quite an eventful couple of years, medically speaking. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2023 and proceeded to finish chemotherapy (becoming cancer-free) by late April 2023.

Then in early August 2023 -- exactly one year ago -- Hendriks underwent Tommy John surgery.

Hendriks’s current journey back to pitching for the Red Sox is as inspiring as it is impressive. Perhaps such a mountainous challenge is just business as usual for a two-time American League Reliever of the Year and two-time All-MLB First Team selection.

Regardless of when Hendriks returns, his rehab should provide a moral boost to Boston’s clubhouse as the Red Sox fight for a playoff berth in the coming weeks.

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