Late on Sunday, Chicago White Sox All-Star closer Liam Hendriks made a shocking announcement via his Instagram.
The veteran right-hander and three-time All-Star revealed that he had been given a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Since the news broke of the diagnosis, MLB fans, players, and analysts have all expressed their support for Hendriks and his wife, Kristi.
White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn also spoke on the matter and released a statement, showing support for Hendriks as he begins a long road to recovery.
“Our thoughts and reactions at this time are for Liam the person, not Liam the baseball player,” the statement read. “I know the entire Chicago White Sox organization, our staff, his teammates, and certainly White Sox fans will rally in support of Liam in Kristi in the coming months.”
The rest of the statement can be seen in the tweet below.
White Sox closer Liam Hendriks announced he’s been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Here’s a statement from GM Rick Hahn on the news. The team does not plan on having an update on Hendriks’ playing status prior to opening day “at the earliest,” as he focuses on recovery. pic.twitter.com/LQDMZZCma2
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) January 9, 2023
When something like this takes place, it becomes even bigger than sports.
While Hendriks is a tremendous competitor with some impressive accolades along the way, he’ll now turn his attention to a more serious battle.
Cancer is a disease that affects so many around the world.
There have also been times when cancer has affected the world of sports as well, particularly baseball.
Both Trey Mancini and Jameson Taillon went through their respective cancer treatments and had the entire baseball community rallying behind them.
Of course, fans will rally in support of Hendriks during this difficult time in hopes that he will beat cancer and return to the mound as soon as possible.
NEXT: White Sox Honor Liam Hendriks With Touching Message