Liam Hendrix will undergo treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

White Sox closer Liam Hendrix advertise in his Instagram page Tonight he’s starting treatment tomorrow for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“Hearing the word “cancer” came as a shock to me and my wife, as it happens to millions of families every year. However, I am determined to embrace the fight and overcome this new challenge with the same determination I have used when facing other obstacles in my life.Hendrix Books. “My treatment starts tomorrow, and I’m confident I’ll make a full recovery and get back to the mound as soon as possible. I know with the support of my wife, family, teammates, and the Chicago White Sox organization, along with therapy and care from my doctors, that I will get through this.. “

White Sox GM Rick Hahn also released a statement on behalf of the team:Our thoughts and reactions at this time are those of Liam the person, not Liam the baseball player. I know the entire Chicago White Sox organization, our staff, his teammates, and certainly the White Sox fans, will rally in support of Liam and Kristi over the coming months. Knowing everyone involved, especially Liam, we’re optimistic he’ll run again for the White Sox as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will all do everything we can to support our teammate and his family as they navigate this challenge, while also respecting their privacy. We don’t expect to get any updates on Liam’s playing status ahead of Opening Day as soon as possible. “

Hendrix celebrates his 34th birthday in February, and the Australian Perth native is coming off his third All-Star season. He began his big league career with the Twins in 2011, and it took Hendrix until 2015 (as a member of the Blue Jays) to really explode, which began a string of four solid but unspectacular seasons of action. However, in 2019 Hendriks took things to another level, emerging as one of the game’s best shutouts after posting a 2.26 ERA, 38.8% strikeout rate, and 5.1% walk rate over 239 innings since the start of the 2019 campaign.

All three of Hendriks’ All-Star selections have come in that dominant four-year tenure, and he led to a big free agent payday during the 2020-21 season. Hendriks is two seasons into a three-year, $54 million deal with the White Sox that includes a unique $15 million club option for 2024 that also carries a $15 million buyout (which would be covered in deferred payments if the Sox decline the option).

In addition to his success on the field, Hendriks is also a widely popular player, beloved by teammates and fans alike. Today’s news has already started an outpouring of support for Hendrix on social media, and we at MLB Trade Rumors join the rest of the baseball world in wishing him a full recovery.

Han’s statement provided a rough idea of ​​a timeline for how long Hendrix might be sidelined, though it’s clearly a highly volatile situation. Pitching is naturally the last thing on the Hendriks’ mind at the moment, and for the White Sox as well, simply getting their friend and teammate healthy is infinitely more important than roster influence.

There is no easy way to replace Hendriks in the Chicago bullpen, as there is right now Kendall Grafman Possibly the most likely candidate to pitch closer, bumping everyone up in the depth chart leaving the White Sox relief corps thinner as a whole. he was there Some trade buzz About Hendriks earlier this winter, such as mets He and other teams had an interest in adding a quality reliever, and there was some consideration that the White Sox could move Hendriks (and his contract) as a way to meet other roster needs without stretching the budget.