White Sox closer Liam Hendriks to begin rehab assignment months after cancer diagnosis
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks recently shared the good news that he's in remission and cancer-free after his battle with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Hendriks first revealed his diagnosis in January, and then followed several rounds of chemotherapy, the last of which he underwent in early April.
Now that the 34-year-old Australia native has received and processed that welcome outcome, his attentions are turning toward working his way back to the mound. Speaking of which, ESPN's Jesse Rogers tweets that Hendriks on Tuesday was in the White Sox clubhouse for the first time in far too long, and on Wednesday he'll begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Given Hendriks' need for a full ramp-up, it's likely that his rehab assignment will be a lengthy one, but any step at all is encouraging.
Hendriks for his career has pitched to a 109 ERA+ and a 4.58 K/BB ratio across parts of 12 MLB seasons. The three-time All-Star has been especially dominant since his breakout at age 30 in 2019. Since that season, he's put up an ERA of 2.26 with 359 strikeouts in 239 innings. Needless to say Hendriks' eventual return to the struggling White Sox will mean a great deal, especially in ways that have little to do with his pitching.