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Red Sox Reliever Makes Bold Claim Amid Difficult Outings

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated May 22, 2025 2:05 PM ET

During the final game of the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets series, Alex Cora took Garrett Crochet out of the game in the top of the sixth inning with Crochet at 85 pitches. He turned to Liam Hendriks for the 6th and 7th innings, where he gave up 3 earned runs en route to a Red Sox loss.

After the game, Hendriks had thoughts on his status after his outing. In an article from Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Hendriks commented on his recent struggles and lack of usage out of the bullpen.

"I feel like I haven’t been pitching enough. If you want me to be me, I’ve got to pitch. I’ll rust before I wear out, and that’s something," Hendriks said. "But at the end of the day, I’ve got to reward them (for) throwing me by getting guys out. If I’m not doing that, I don’t deserve to pitch."

Hendriks' claim of not being used enough is backed up by his usage this season. The Red Sox have played 51 games, and Hendriks has appeared in just 11 games. Cora hasn't used Hendriks nearly as much as he would like to be used.

Other than his first appearance in mid-April, when he allowed two earned runs against the Chicago White Sox, Hendriks had been solid for Boston. He went eight straight appearances without allowing a run.

In back-to-back outings, Hendriks has been a deciding factor in the Red Sox's losses. He allowed two runs against the Atlanta Braves in a 4-2 loss and three runs against the Mets in a 5-1 loss.

Before the Mets game, Hendriks' complaints reached Alex Cora and the Red Sox. Cora gave Hendricks an opportunity against the Mets, which Hendriks didn't take advantage of.

"There was a couple games where it was like I was the last guy in the bullpen. It’s a new experience for me," Hendriks said, "I felt like I had been pitching well to get trusted in a couple of those situations, and it didn’t come to fruition. We had a couple chats. I got in there today and it didn’t quite work out."

Hendriks allowed three straight singles to load the bases in the seventh, all of which scored. Hendriks' season ERA jumped to 5.56, and it was the second outing in a row where Hendriks allowed two or more runs.

After multiple tough outings, Hendriks' claim of wanting more opportunities seems ridiculous. While he had a decent stretch after his first outing, his recent performances don't open the door to more opportunities in the future.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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