BOSTON During Spring Training, as right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks was finalizing his free-agent deal with the Red Sox, he made an unusual request for a player who would be spending much of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Hendriks expressed his desire to stay with the team both at home and on the road, rather than solely focusing on his rehabilitation in Fort Myers, Fla. His motivation wasn’t to enjoy Boston’s dining scene or visit favorite spots around the country.
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Instead, he wanted to stay involved with the team so he could regularly meet with children who are fighting cancer. This commitment was deeply personal for Hendriks, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2022 while with the White Sox and made his return to the mound on May 29, 2023.
Due to recent tightness he’s encountered in the latter stages of his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Hendriks hasn’t thrown a pitch in the Majors this season and may not until next season.
However, he has succeeded in leaving a lasting human legacy, so much so that the Red Sox nominated him for the Roberto Clemente Award.
Hendriks has been nominated for MLB’s most prestigious humanitarian award six times.
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