Cubs Sign Liam Hendriks – MLB Trade Rumors
The Cubs and proper-hander Liam Hendriks are in settlement on a minor league contract, reports Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic. The ALIGND Sports shopper was in camp with the Twins throughout spring coaching however was granted his launch when knowledgeable he would not make the roster. He’s been a free agent since.
Hendriks, 37, had respectable spring outcomes with Minnesota, permitting three runs in seven innings. However, he walked as many batters as he struck out (5), and a fastball that when averaged 97-98 mph was sitting at a diminished 93.9 mph — a mark that might be his lowest since transferring to the bullpen greater than a decade in the past.
The Aussie-born hurler, in fact, loved a notable run as one in every of Major League Baseball’s most dominant relievers. From 2019-22, Hendriks pitched 239 innings with a 2.26 ERA, a mammoth 38.8% strikeout fee and a tiny 5.1% stroll fee between the A’s and White Sox. He’d go on to overlook time following a daunting prognosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Hendriks fortunately overcame that most cancers prognosis following chemotherapy therapy, however he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his proper elbow not lengthy after and wound up requiring Tommy John surgical procedure. He inked a two-12 months take care of the Red Sox (2024-25), planning to rehab the primary 12 months and be a part of their bullpen the second. It did not go in addition to anticipated. Hendriks pitched 13 2/3 innings with a 6.59 ERA final season.
Whether a 37-12 months-outdated Hendriks has something left within the tank is an open query, however there is no actual threat for the Cubs in looking to see if he can engineer one more comeback. Chicago has already misplaced righty Porter Hodge for the season (UCL surgical procedure) and likewise has relievers Hunter Harvey, Riley Martin and Caleb Thielbar on the injured record. Hendriks may want a while to ramp again up within the decrease ranges of the Cubs’ system, however he’ll ultimately head to Triple-A Iowa and look to pitch his approach again into one other main league alternative.
