There will be some competition at Boston Red Sox spring training for the team's closer job during the 2025 season. One of Boston's four options in the ninth inning is veteran closer Liam Hendriks.
Hendriks hasn't pitched a full season since 2022. Shortly after that season, the three-time All-Star was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He underwent chemotherapy, which kept him out of action for most of 2023.
His late-season return to the mound after kicking cancer didn't last long — after five appearances for the White Sox, the veteran underwent surgery to repair a UCL tear.
Liam Hendriks to have full, healthy spring training, ready to compete for Red Sox closer job
The Red Sox signed Hendriks ahead of the 2024 season, hoping he'd be able to pitch during the final stretch in the big leagues. Lingering soreness held him back, and Hendriks never appeared for Boston last year. Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe reported on Feb. 10 that the 36-year-old arrived at spring training a bit early to get some work in and really compete for the closer title.
“I want the job but I don’t want to be given anything,” Hendriks said. “Regardless if I’m established, or if I had the last three years healthy, you’ve got to come to camp every year to win a job.”
Red Sox interested in Justin Turner as Alex Bregman signing, Nolan Arenado trade remain incomplete
The Red Sox have courted free agent Alex Bregman and trade candidate Nolan Arenado to bring some right-handed offense to their lineup full of lefties, but neither seems exceedingly likely to move to Boston as spring training begins. On Feb. 10, Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported a new subject of the Sox's interest as a right-handed addition.
Boston and a few other teams in the Bregman market — the Cubs and Tigers — have expressed interest in veteran infielder/designated hitter Justin Turner. Turner joined the Red Sox before the 2023 season and became a fast fan favorite. He hoped for an extension in Boston, but the front office pursued other offensive reinforcements at the time.
Turner slashed .259/.354/.383 with a .737 OPS over 139 games between the Blue Jays and Mariners last season. Seattle's home field, T-Mobile Park, is the least friendly in the league for hitters, and a return to playing half his games at Fenway Park could do wonders for the veteran's offense.
However, it would be difficult to integrate Turner into Boston's lineup. With Rafael Devers and Triston Casas manning the corner infield slots, he may have to factor in as the DH, which has become Masataka Yoshida's usual post. Turner's age and Yoshida's rough defense make it hard to justify playing either in the field, but the Sox's desperation for a righty bat could outweigh those risks.
Red Sox legend Wade Boggs announces he's cancer-free
Baseball Hall of Famer and 11-year Red Sox Wade Boggs announced on Feb. 7 that he is cancer-free. Boggs shared the news of his recovery on Twitter five months after he announced his diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Boggs slashed .338/.428/.462 with a .890 OPS in his tenure with Boston, and his No. 26 is retired by the Red Sox organization. The third baseman was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, inducted in 2005.