Red Sox Bolster Bullpen, Sign Recovering Liam Hendriks to Two-Year Deal
Despite Grapefruit League action starting later this week, the Boston Red Sox have reportedly added another arm to the fold, signing right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks to a two-year deal worth $10 million, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
The 35-year-old’s contract can increase by an additional $10 million, bringing the total value to $20 million with performance bonuses. It also includes a mutual option for the 2026 season.
Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive first reported the Red Sox were close to signing Hendriks, who arrived at the club’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., Monday morning.
Hendriks was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in January 2023 before announcing he was cancer-free just a few months later in April. But his return to baseball lasted just five appearances as repeated elbow inflammation ultimately led to Tommy John surgery last August.
Still, the former Chicago White Sox’s closer was named the 2023 American League Comeback Player of the Year Award winner for his inspiring story.
After undergoing surgery to repair a torn right ulnar collateral ligament, Hendriks hopes to return in 12-to-14 months, putting his Red Sox debut on track to occur sometime after the All-Star break.
While he won’t be available for, at the very least, the first half of this season, Boston is adding a three-time All-Star and two-time winner of the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award to its bullpen.
The 2023 campaign was a lost season for Hendriks. However, the hard-throwing righty is only a few years removed from being regarded as one of the sport’s most dominating relief pitchers – a reputation he’ll look to carry over in 2024 upon returning from the IL.
Few relievers were more impactful than Hendriks from 2019-22, as the Australian native led the majors in fWAR (9.6) while finishing second in innings pitched (237) and K-BB rate difference (34.1%), third in saves (114) and fourth in ERA (2.20).
Additionally, the 13-season MLB veteran was an elite swing-and-miss generator over his first two campaigns with the White Sox in 2021 and ‘22, producing strikeout and whiff rates that ranked in the 98th percentile or higher each year during that span.
Chicago declined its $15-million 2024 club option on Hendriks’ contract due to his lengthy recovery timeline, triggering a $15-million buy-out to be paid over 10 years from 2024-33 – making him a free agent.
The Red Sox’s bullpen already features a potent one-two combo at the back end in closer Kenley Jansen and primary set-up man Chris Martin. But if Hendriks can return in 2024, that would form an excellent high-leverage trio.
That is, of course, if Jansen and Martin – both of whom are free agents next winter – aren’t traded before then.
Acquiring Hendriks could be a meaningful acquisition this season. But his arrival likely has more value in 2025 and possibly ‘26 as well, considering the front office appears inclined to prioritize the future rather than the present. A tactic made evident by the club’s recent deal with the Kansas City Royals involving RHP John Schreiber.
Boston has acquired players either on short-term deals, like Hendriks and Lucas Giolito, this off-season, or those close to free agency, such as Tyler O’Neill, while shedding salaries with Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo.
The Red Sox are coming off consecutive last-place finishes in the AL East Division and appear headed for a three-peat this season for the first time in franchise history.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: D. Benjamin Miller. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.