The Chicago White Sox have declined closer Liam Hendriks’ 2024 option, sending the fan favorite into free agency this offseason.
The New York Post‘s Jon Heyman reported the White Sox still owe Hendriks $15 million, which will be deferred over time.
The hard-throwing reliever, a three-time All-Star, had two dominating seasons in Chicago after signing a three-year deal before the 2021 season. He led MLB with 38 saves that first year, with a 2.54 ERA. He followed that up with 37 saves and a 2.81 ERA in 2022.
Yet Hendriks has dealt with much-publicized health issues in the past year. He announced at the end of the 2022 season that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After missing the start of this season, he announced the disease was in remission.
After making his season debut in late May, Hendriks made only five appearances before being shut down with elbow inflammation. The club announced in early August he had undergone Tommy John surgery.
Hendriks is expected to miss all of the 2024 season. He’ll turn 36 before the 2025 season, so he faces dim prospects in free agency given his age and health issues. Baseball is a business, and the White Sox did the rational thing in letting Hendriks go, but fans thought it was a tough way to say farewell to a popular player who has fallen on hard times.
Liam Hendriks exit option is $1.5 million for ten years.His leadership and honesty will be missed in the clubhouse and on the field. A part of the teams failure in 2023 had to do with his absence in the pen.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) November 3, 2023
Hate to see him go, but there’s no reason to keep him on the roster when he’s out all year and a free agent after next year
— Dusty (@DWC_78) November 3, 2023
Thanks for the memories pic.twitter.com/iX0l5bAkWd
— Eloy (@EloyGarcia84) November 3, 2023
that’s messed up. Where’s the loyalty
— Odds On Capital (@OddsOnCapital) November 3, 2023
So long liam, thanks for everything ❤️
— Steven Domzalski (@stevenmeister54) November 3, 2023
