The Boston Red Sox and their fans have been itching for updates on rehabbing closer Liam Hendriks.
The team is in the midst of a postseason push and Hendriks' arm will be a valuable addition to Boston's tiring bullpen. Luckily, the Sox may not have to wait for the boost much longer.
Hendriks hopes to make his Red Sox debut next weekend on Sept. 6, the 13-year anniversary of his first-ever big league outing, as reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Sept. 6 will be the final game of Boston's series against the White Sox, Hendriks' team from 2021-23.
The 13-year MLB veteran underwent Tommy John surgery in early Aug. 2023. The Red Sox signed Hendriks in Feb., knowing he would need months to recover from the procedure. They initially hoped he'd be ready to pitch by early Aug., but the righty's rehab took slightly longer than anticipated.
Liam Hendriks hopes to make Red Sox debut in early September
Aussie Aussie Aussie! Liam Hendriks threw 1 inning of relief today in his rehab 💪 pic.twitter.com/eTcglYDLNi
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 18, 2024
Hendriks has been on a rehab assignment between Triple-A Worcester and Double-A Portland since Aug. 18. He's pitched three scoreless innings, fanned three batters and walked two over four appearances. Hendriks has not yet pitched on consecutive days, but he plans to make back-to-back appearances next week.
The Perth, Australia native is a closer by trade, but he'll likely slot into the middle innings when he debuts for Boston. Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin have served the Red Sox well in the late innings and it's unlikely for Jansen to be moved from the closer slot given how well he's pitched this season.
The recent injuries to Luis García and Lucas Sims have been huge blows to the Sox's already stressed bullpen. Hendriks' debut will provide a much-needed, fresh arm to push through the final few series of the season and, hopefully, bring enough relief to make Boston's path to the playoffs easier.