Three-time All-Star reliever to make decision on future by Thursday
If a team wants to add Liam Hendriks and oversee his recovery from Tommy John surgery, it will need to act fast.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Hendriks will decide by Thursday as to whether or not he is going to sign. Otherwise, he will continue his rehab on his own and will throw for interested teams in July. Passan also reported that Hendriks has offers from multiple teams, giving him several options.
Hendriks would be an intriguing buy-low candidate. He made only five appearances last season as he missed the beginning of the year due to his battle with stage 4 non-Hodgins lymphoma. He made an emotional return on May 28, receiving a standing ovation. His comeback only lasted a couple of weeks, though, as he landed on the injured list due to elbow inflammation. That inflammation proved to be more serious than originally believed, leading to Tommy John surgery.
Interested teams would be hoping to see the Hendriks who had dominated in the ninth inning. He posted a 2.26 ERA and a 0.883 WHIP over his 239 innings between 2019 and 2022, notching 114 saves while striking out 359 batters and issuing only 47 walks. Hendriks was a three-time All-Star, earning down ballot Cy Young and MVP votes in that time.
There is a chance Hendriks could return this season. If so, he could be a weapon for a team eyeing a playoff berth, a reliever with an impressive track record. Teams would likely sign him to a two-year deal as they look to have Hendriks at full health. But that also depends on his own interests. If the offers are not good enough, Hendriks is willing to go through rehab on his own. His suitors will find out soon enough.
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