Liam Hendriks to undergo treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
White Sox closer liam hendrix announced the his instagram page tonight that he will start treatment tomorrow for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“Hearing the word ‘cancer’ came as a shock to my wife and I, as it does to millions of families each year. However, I am determined to embrace the fight and overcome this new challenge with the same determination that I have used in facing other obstacles in my life.Hendriks wrote.My treatment starts tomorrow and I am confident that I will make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible. I know that with the support of my wife, family, teammates, and the Chicago White Sox organization, along with the treatment and care of my doctors, I will get through this..”
White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn also released a statement on behalf of the team: “Our thoughts and reactions right now are to Liam as a person, not Liam as a baseball player. I know that the entire Chicago White Sox organization, our staff, their teammates and, without a doubt, White Sox fans will be rooting for Liam and Kristi for months to come. Knowing everyone involved, especially Liam, we’re optimistic he’ll return to pitching for the White Sox as soon as it’s viable. In the meantime, we will all do everything in our power to support our teammate and his family as they face this challenge, while respecting his privacy. We don’t expect to have any updates on Liam’s playing status before Opening Day at the earliest..”
Hendriks celebrates his 34th birthday in February, and the Perth, Australia native is coming off his third All-Star season. Beginning his major league career with the Twins in 2011, it took Hendriks until 2015 (as a member of the Blue Jays) to really break out, kicking off a run of four solid but unspectacular seasons of bullpen work. In 2019, however, Hendriks took things to another level as he has become one of the best closers in the game after posting a 2.26 ERA, 38.8% strikeout rate and 5.1% walk rate. in 239 innings since the start of the 2019 season.
All three of Hendriks’ All-Star selections came in that dominant four-year stint, and it led to a huge free agent payday during the 2020-21 offseason. Hendriks is two seasons into a three-year, $54 million contract with the White Sox that includes a one-time $15 million club option for 2024 that also carries a $15 million buyout (which would be covered by deferred payments if the Red Sox declined). the option) .
Beyond his success on the field, Hendriks is also a very popular player, beloved by both his teammates and fans. Today’s news has already sparked an outpouring of support for Hendriks on social media, and we at MLB Trade Rumors join the rest of the baseball world in wishing him a full recovery.
Hahn’s statement provided a rough idea of how long Hendriks might be out, though obviously the situation is very fluid. Pitching is, naturally, almost the last thing on Hendriks’ mind right now, and for the White Sox as well, simply getting his friend and teammate healthy is infinitely more important than impact on the roster.
There’s no easy way to replace Hendriks in Chicago’s bullpen, as while kendall graveman is probably the most likely candidate to step in as closer, shoving everyone on the depth chart leaves the White Sox relief staff skinnier as a whole. There has been some trade rumors surrounding Hendriks earlier this winter, as the mets and other teams had interest in adding a top-level reliever, and it was thought that the White Sox might move Hendriks (and his contract) as a way to address other roster needs without expanding the budget.