White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, who announced just two weeks ago that he’s cancer-free after a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is expected to head out on a minor league rehab assignment this weekend, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. Manager Pedro Grifol said that Hendriks “should be back here in the near future.”
The mere fact that Hendriks successfully overcame that frightening diagnosis is already one of the feel-good stories of 2023, and the possibility that he could be back on a big league mound sometime later this month is similarly heartening. It’s welcome news not only for the White Sox and their fans, but for the baseball world as a whole. Hendriks has played for five different big league clubs and endeared himself to countless fans with his ebullient personality, his fiery on-field celebrations and, of course, his elite performance in recent seasons.
The 34-year-old Hendriks went from journeyman starter to world-class closer in short order, breaking out with an All-Star showing in 2019. He saved 25 games for the A’s that season and pitched to a 1.80 ERA over the life of 85 innings. He hasn’t slowed down since, evidenced by a 2.26 ERA, 114 saves, a 38.8% strikeout rate and a 5.1% walk rate in his past 239 big league innings.
Not much has gone right for the White Sox in 2023, but Hendriks’ looming return should provide an emotional boost and a breath of fresh air in the clubhouse. He’ll also surely help to solidify a bullpen that currently has MLB’s second-worst collective ERA (6.68), second-highest walk rate (11.7%) and highest HR/9 mark by a landslide (1.82).
The Sox haven’t specified how many rehab appearances Hendriks will require, though that information could come later today. Van Schouwen notes that Hendriks has been pitching in minor league games at the White Sox’ spring facility already, so he’s not starting out from scratch. His rehab window can last for a maximum of 30 days, so barring any kind of setback, Hendriks figures to return no later than early June.