According to Chris Cotillo of Masslive.com, Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks (elbow) is set to pitch again on Sunday and is nearing a return to the big leagues. As a relief pitcher, Hendriks will not need as long of a ramp-up period as the other injured pitchers in Boston, like Lucas Giolito (hamstring) and Brayan Bello (shoulder). Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status after his second rehab outing on Sunday, as he could be cleared to return to Boston next week. During his first rehab outing, Hendriks logged one inning and allowed one hit while striking out three batters. He has been on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation since the start of the campaign. When he does return, he will compete with Aroldis Chapman for save opportunities.
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) had a very successful first minor-league rehab outing on Thursday with Triple-A Worcester, tossing a scoreless inning with one hit and three strikeouts. The 36-year-old veteran threw 13 of his 18 pitches for strikes and said he felt good after needing an injection in his elbow two weeks ago to help with a nerve issue. He will most likely need a few more rehab appearances before he's ready to rejoin the Red Sox's bullpen for his 2025 season debut. After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2024, Hendriks hasn't pitched in a big-league game since June 9 of 2023, when he pitched for the Chicago White Sox. The Australian is a three-time All-Star and has 116 career saves in 13 MLB seasons, though, so he could be in the mix for saves in Boston alongside lefty Aroldis Chapman when he's fully healthy.
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks (elbow) threw a successful bullpen session on Monday and is likely to begin a minor-league rehab assignment by the weekend, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. This could put Hendriks on track to return in late April, and he figures to be in the mix for high-leverage opportunities with Aroldis Chapman and Justin Slaten. The Red Sox haven't committed to either as their full-time closer, so Hendriks could be worth a speculative add in deeper fantasy leagues where saves are hard to find.
Liam Hendriks To Throw Bullpen Session This Weekend
Boston Red Sox right-hander reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday, according to manager Alex Cora. This will be Hendriks' first bullpen session since being placed on the 15-day injured list to start the 2025 season. Hendrik's battled control problems and an elbow injury in spring training, which caused him to lose out on potentially opening the year as Boston's preferred closer. The 36-year-old veteran is unlikely to be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible on Tuesday, April 8, but it might not be much longer after that in which he's able to make his season debut in Beantown. The Australian native and three-time All-Star didn't pitch at all in the big leagues in 2024 and made just five appearances in 2023 in his final season with the White Sox due to injury, so he's far from a sure thing to stay healthy at this point of his career as a high-leverage reliever.
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) played catch at Globe Life Field on Sunday before the team's series finale against the Texas Rangers after he was originally told not to throw for three days after getting an injection to improve a compressed nerve in his right elbow. Hendriks is expecting to resume a normal throwing program in hopes of being activated from the injured list relatively soon, although it sounds the like the Red Sox won't be activating him when he's eligible to return on April 8. The team is going to exercise caution with the veteran reliever since he hasn't pitched in the big leagues since June of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old Australian has 116 career saves in 13 big-league seasons and should be a late-inning option for Boston when he's healthy, but he also had a 9.95 ERA and 2.21 WHIP in 6 1/3 innings this spring before injuring his elbow.
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) is dealing with right-elbow inflammation and is being placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. The Red Sox announced the other day that veteran left-hander Aroldis Chapman would open the regular season as their primary closer, and now Hendriks will be on the shelf to begin the year, further dropping his fantasy appeal for those scrounging for save opportunities. The 36-year-old Australian is a three-time All-Star and has plenty of closing experience (116 career saves in 13 MLB seasons), but he didn't pitch at all in 2024 after having Tommy John surgery in 2023. His elbow issue could help explain why Hendriks struggled with his command during Grapefruit League action. With Hendriks out, Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock will have bigger roles as late-inning setup men in front of Chapman.
Liam Hendriks Unlikely To Be Primary Closing Option
MassLive's Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam write that Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks appears to be behind left-hander Aroldis Chapman for closing duties to begin the 2025 regular season, even though he has seemingly corrected some of the command issues he had early in camp. Second-year right-hander Justin Slaten will also be an option for the BoSox in late-inning, high-leverage situations. As things stand right now, Chapman and Slaten are ahead of Hendriks, who has allowed six earned runs on 12 hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out four in five appearances in the Grapefruit League. The 36-year-old Australian is a three-time All-Star and has 116 career MLB saves over 13 seasons, though, so he's still going to be a key member of Boston's bullpen in 2025. He just isn't much of a target for save speculators right now.
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) was up to 96 mph on the radar gun in his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday versus the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays while tossing a scoreless inning. It was Hendriks' first game action since a minor-league rehab appearance last June. The 36-year-old veteran allowed a single and struck out one in the outing as he looks to bounce back in 2025 after not pitching at all in the big leagues last year following Tommy John surgery in 2023. The Australian native is a three-time All-Star and has 116 saves in his 13-year MLB career, so he'll be in Boston's competition for saves this season alongside Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock. A closer committee is entirely possible, which won't help fantasy managers, but if Hendriks' velocity can stay around 96-97 mph, he should be interesting as a cheap bullpen arm in holds leagues.
MLB.com's Ian Browne writes that the Boston Red Sox competition for the closer job will start in spring training on Wednesday against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays when right-hander Liam Hendriks and left-hander Aroldis Chapman are both scheduled to pitch. Justin Slaten, who is also competing for the closer's role, is scheduled to throw live batting practice on Tuesday. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock will also be competing for high-leverage duties at the back of Boston's bullpen, and it's possible the Red Sox will eventually settle on a committee approach, which will make things even more difficult for fantasy managers speculating on save chances in this bullpen. Chapman figures to be the favorite if he's healthy. Hendriks has plenty of experience (116 career saves), but the Australian is 36 years old and didn't pitch at all in 2024 due to injury.
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks was sitting at 93-94 mph during his live batting practice session at camp on Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey. Injuries have taken a toll on Hendriks in recent seasons (primarily Tommy John surgery in 2023), and while he may not throw as hard as he did earlier in his career, the 36-year-old Australian is fully healthy this spring and should play a key late-inning, high-leverage role in Boston's bullpen this year. Manager Alex Cora thinks Hendrik's velocity will continue to trend up as Opening Day in late March approaches. Although there isn't a ton of fantasy upside here, the Red Sox could go with a closer committee in 2025, giving Hendriks the opportunity for some save opportunities. Expect fewer strikeouts but a decent amount of holds and a handful of saves in 2025.
Liam Hendriks
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Red Sox
