![]() ![]() ![]() When Hendriks returned home that night and Kristi inspected the lumps, she asked what they were. Maybe it was the light hitting him in unflattering fashion or sweat warping the image. His wife, Kristi, saw them during a game midseason, and though she knew that the veins in his neck bulge in some photos, this looked off. The imaging - from his neck to his ankles, his blood to his bones - told a different story.įor the previous six months, Hendriks had wondered why the lymph node on the back of his neck had swelled to the size of a walnut and why the ones under his jawline jutted out and fattened his face. Hendriks was diagnosed earlier that month with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer, and he had figured it was Stage 1, maybe Stage 2, easily treatable. IN MID-DECEMBER, when Liam Hendriks squinted at the PET scan of his body and saw hundreds of spots illuminated by radioactive dye, his first thought was that he looked like his dalmatian, Olive. Liam Hendriks' journey from beating cancer to returning to MLB I think that if he didn't have baseball, his recovery would have been very different.You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser He felt like he was part of his people again. He got to, you guys know Liam, he's a goofy, random man. "It was great for him too to have the camaraderie with his teammates. "When you are having all this poison pumped into your body, the last thing you feel is normal," she said. Hendriks' wife, Kristi, said baseball played a key role in his comeback. He announced in April that he was in remission. He was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent immunotherapy and chemotherapy. He was third in the majors with 37 saves and made his third All-Star team in 2022, but he noticed some lumps on his neck last summer. Hendriks led the American League with a career-high 38 saves in his first year with Chicago. Or if we initially announced 'Hey, he's probably going to be gone till at least the All-Star break,' I don't think anyone would have batted an eye with that timeline." "When we initially got the initial prognosis, I don't think anyone would have been shocked if the response to a stage 4 lymphoma diagnosis was we weren't going to see the guy pitch this year. "Truly a testament to his hard work and commitment the fact that we're even having this conversation in May," general manager Rick Hahn said. He signed a $54 million, three-year deal with the White Sox in January 2021. Hendriks has 115 saves and a 3.81 ERA over 12 seasons with Minnesota, Toronto, Kansas City, Oakland and Chicago. The White Sox (22-34) were coming off a tough series in Detroit, blowing late leads on Saturday and Sunday while dropping three of four against the Tigers. Hendriks could provide a big lift for a Chicago team that has struggled for much of the season. The Australia native allowed one run and one hit in one inning in his last game with the Knights on May 16. The 34-year-old Hendriks had no record and a 10.80 ERA in six rehab appearances with Triple-A Charlotte. Fellow reliever Jimmy Lambert was placed on the 15-day IL with right ankle inflammation. Hendriks was reinstated him from the 15-day injured list. Wish him luck in a few days," a grinning Nevin said. Jameson Taillon and Trey Mancini of the crosstown Chicago Cubs - two more cancer survivors - were among the players who texted Hendriks during the day, and the Toronto Blue Jays - one of the pitcher's former teams - posted a supportive video on Twitter.Īngels manager Phil Nevin tracked down the quirky right-hander to pass along his regards before the series opener. Hendriks' return was heralded all over the sport. "There was some positives from a purely baseball aspect, but there was definitely some things to work on," Hendriks said after Chicago's 6-4 loss. ![]()
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