As the Chicago White Sox opened their home schedule on Monday afternoon, fans got a special message from the team’s closer, Liam Hendriks, who has been away battling cancer.
Hendriks announced in January that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but he wanted family, friends and fans to know that doctors believed it was very treatable.
The doctors appear to be right about that given Hendriks’ very positive update on his status.
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"Happy Opening Day Sox fans," he began. "Just want to let you know I’m starting my last round of chemo today. So I’ll see you guys on the South Side soon. Play ball!"
That’s fantastic news for the 34-year-old reliever, who made back-to-back All-Star teams in 2021 and 2022 with the White Sox.
WHITE SOX CLOSER LIAM HENDRIKS ANNOUNCES HE HAS CANCER
"Hearing the word ‘Cancer’ came as a shock to my wife and I, as it does to millions of families each year," Hendriks wrote initially on social media about his diagnosis. "However, I am resolved to embrace the fight and overcome this new challenge with the same determination I have used when facing other obstacles in my life."
The "see you guys on the South Side soon" comment means that Hendriks is hoping to get back to the White Sox as quickly as possible once his treatment is done. Of course, Chicago will be sure that Hendriks is 100% before getting him back on the mound, but they would certainly love to have their closer back in the fold.
Hendriks had 37 saves in 2022 and a league-high 38 in 2021 during those All-Star campaigns. He had 85 strikeouts in 57.2 innings with a 2.81 ERA last season as well.
Hendriks will be entering his 13th season in MLB, his third with the White Sox. Since his transition to a reliever, the Perth, Australia, native has made quite a career getting hitters out and being consistent, especially since his first All-Star campaign in 2019 with the Oakland Athletics.
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He pitched to a 1.80 ERA that season with 25 saves in 75 games (85.0 innings). Hendriks ended up striking out a career-high 124 batters that year to only 21 walks.
Hendriks has also had stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.
With Hendriks not available to close out games for the White Sox right now, Reynaldo Lopez appears to be the man new manager Pedro Grifol will go with in those situations. He has one save on the season after the team's first series against the Houston Astros.
