Three-Time All-Star Closer Signs with the Red Sox

Despite having set a deadline of February 15 to sign with a team this offseason, three-time All-Star closer Liam Hendriks has agreed to a contract with the Boston Red Sox. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Hendriks’ contract with the Red Sox is a two-year deal, worth $10 million and includes a third-year option in 2026. The deal also includes incentives through performance that could increase the contract to $20 million. The two-time AL Reliever of the Year is coming off a 2023 season, where Hendriks made his return to the diamond on May 29 from cancer treatment and would undergo Tommy John surgery later in the season in early August and would miss the remainder of the season. Despite a hectic 2023 season, Hendriks remains a dominant closer when healthy that the Red Sox will have the pleasure of having at their disposal late in games the next two seasons. 

Hendriks, 35, was drafted in the 2007 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins where he began his MLB career as a starting pitcher. Hendriks would make his debut in the 2012 season after being named one of the Twins’ starting pitchers that season in Spring Training. In his 13-year career, Hendriks has played with the Twins, Blue Jays (twice), Royals, Athletics and White Sox. The 2021 AL Saves leader transition to the bullpen started in the 2019 season with the Athletics, after an injury to former closer Blake Treinen. In his first season as a relief pitcher, Hendriks would be named to his first All-Star Game in 2019, as he finished the season with 25 saves and struck out 124 batters, with an ERA of 1.80 in 75 games played. From 2019 to 2022, Hendriks recorded four straight seasons of a below 3.00 ERA and tallied two seasons of 100-plus strikeouts and 30 or more saves. In his career, Hendriks has recorded 116 saves, 727 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.80 in 650 innings pitched. 

Following the White Sox’s decision to decline their club option, Hendriks entered this offseason as a free agent with a decided timeline to finalize a contract with a new team. Prior to the 2024 season, Hendriks labeled February 15 as a deadline to reach a contract agreement, or he would decide to remain a free agent and wait to sign with a team until his Tommy John surgery recovery was complete. Coming off a 2023 season where the Red Sox ranked 21st in ERA (4.52), fifth in runs given up (776) and 16th in recorded saves (42), the signing of Hendriks will provide Boston with much needed bullpen depth heading into the 2024 season.