Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks revealed in early January that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Baseball, of course, stopped being a priority for him.
The pitcher, his family, and the White Sox became focused on the new battle ahead for him.
There is some good news to report on that front, fortunately.
“Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks is making encouraging progress in his battle with cancer and the Sox are hopeful he can return before June. Sox GM Rick Hahn says they didn’t place him on the 60-day injured list for a reason,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted.
Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks is making encouraging progress in his battle with cancer and the Sox are hopeful he can return before June. Sox GM Rick Hahn says they didn’t place him on the 60-day injured list for a reason.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 29, 2023
Hendriks has been throwing and keeping his arm in (relative) shape.
He did some long tossing last week, and the fact he wasn’t placed on the 60-day injured list is awfully encouraging.
When a player is placed on the 60-day IL, he is officially out for at least the first two months of the season.
In this particular case, the team seems to believe Hendriks can return at some point before that, probably in May.
That would be an extremely positive development for a franchise that will need every contribution it can get from its stars.
Without Hendriks, Kendall Graveman and Reynaldo Lopez are expected to share closing duties to open the year.
Having Hendriks back, however, gives more depth and quality to the unit.
He still has a lot of hurdles to clear, but it’s nice to know he is feeling better and making progress in his recovery.
The baseball world, and the White Sox in particular, are better when he is on the mound.
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