Liam Hendriks DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks (elbow) said Tuesday that he hopes to debut for his new team by the trade deadline. The 35-year-old veteran overcame non-Hodgkin's lymphoma last year but then underwent Tommy John surgery in August. Hendriks said, "That's my goal. That's 12 months-ish. ... Throwing has been going well." It remains to be seen if Hendriks can hit that timeline, but he should offer fantasy impact when he does return. He was one of baseball's top closers with the White Sox from 2021 through 2022, earning a combined 75 saves. Kenley Jansen is the team's current closer, although he has been mentioned in trade rumors this off-season.

Free-agent reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) agreed to a two-year, $10 million guaranteed deal on Monday with the Boston Red Sox, pending a physical. The deal includes additional performance bonuses and an option for the 2026 season. The 35-year-old veteran overcame non-Hodgkin's lymphoma last year but then ended up needing Tommy John surgery last August, which means that he won't be available for the back end of Boston's bullpen until sometime later this summer. The three-time All-Star has 116 career saves in 13 major-league seasons, but he only pitched five innings for the Chicago White Sox in 2023, and it's fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank at this stage of his career. Hendriks can be avoided in single-year fantasy leagues.

Free-agent reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) has multiple offers and has set a deadline of Thursday to sign with a team, according to sources. If he doesn't sign now, he would keep rehabbing from Tommy John surgery on his own and throw for teams in late July before signing for the stretch run. The Chicago White Sox declined the 35-year-old Aussie's team option for the 2024 season in November, making him a free agent. Hendriks missed the start of last year while recovering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and will now miss most, if not all, of the 2024 season due to his elbow surgery. He was limited to only five appearances in Chicago last year despite an inspiring comeback and allowed three earned runs. Hendriks won't be on the fantasy radar this year.