Hendriks, 35, was the AL’s Comeback Participant of the Yr award winner in 2023 after he managed to return to the mound 5 months after he started present process therapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in early January earlier than asserting that he was cancer-free in April. Sadly, Hendriks’ wonderful comeback was reduce brief after simply 5 appearances on account of a bout of elbow irritation, which ended up resulting in the veteran present process Tommy John surgical procedure again in August. Hendriks’ prolonged impending rehab led the White Sox to say no their membership possibility on his providers for the 2024 season, permitting him to hit the open market again in November.
Whereas 2023 was one thing of a misplaced season for Hendriks, he’s lengthy been probably the most dominant relievers within the sport. The precise-hander debuted as a beginning pitcher with the Twins again in 2011, although he struggled within the function for Minnesota, Kansas Metropolis, and Toronto with a 5.92 ERA in 39 appearances throughout 4 seasons earlier than the Blue Jays determined to maneuver him to the bullpen full time in 2015. The function change did wonders for Hendriks’ efficiency, as he pitched to a robust 2.92 ERA with a fair higher 2.14 FIP throughout 64 2/3 innings of labor for the membership that 12 months. That season, Hendriks struck out a strong 27.2% of batters confronted whereas permitting free passes at a minimal 4.2% clip.
The Blue Jays didn’t retain Hendriks after his breakout marketing campaign, as a substitute dealing him to the Oakland A’s previous to the 2016 season. Throughout his first few years in Oakland, Hendriks got here again right down to earth a bit, pitching to comparatively middling outcomes out of the membership’s bullpen with a 4.01 ERA and a 3.24 FIP throughout 152 2/3 innings of labor from 2016 to 2018. Hendriks returned to type in 2019, nonetheless. When then-A’s nearer Blake Treinen struggled to a 4.91 ERA in the course of the 2019 season, Hendriks took over the nearer’s function and didn’t look again with an unbelievable 1.80 ERA with a 1.78 FIP in 85 innings of labor.
The righty continued that sturdy efficiency in 2020, his closing 12 months of membership management. He headed into the open market after racking up 14 extra saves within the shortened season, posting a 1.78 ERA due to an enormous 40.2% strikeout price and a tiny 3.3% stroll price. He landed a three-year, $54M deal with the White Sox with a sophisticated membership possibility for 2024. The wage and buyout on that possibility had been each $15M, although the buyout would unfold the payouts over a 10-year interval.
He continued to function a lockdown nearer for the primary two years of that deal earlier than, as talked about, going by way of numerous challenges within the third. With Hendriks taking a look at lacking no less than the primary few months of 2024, the White Sox went for the $15M opt-out as a substitute of the $15M wage. Regardless of these matching figures, they may get monetary savings in the long term by holding that cash, gathering curiosity on it and paying it out later when inflation has lowered its worth.
Hendriks went into the open market unable to market himself for a lot of the 2024 season. He’s focusing on a commerce deadline return from final 12 months’s surgical procedure, although that will be on the formidable finish of typical Tommy John restoration timelines since he simply went underneath the knife a 12 months in the past.
It might clearly be nice information if Hendriks is again on the mound in August or September however the signing for the Crimson Sox is extra about 2025. The membership has Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin as their prime relievers this 12 months however each are impending free brokers and every have been in commerce rumors this offseason. The membership appears to have little hesitation about subtracting from this 12 months’s aid corps, as they not too long ago traded John Schreiber and flipped Nick Robertson earlier within the winter as a part of the Tyler O’Neill deal.
Total, the membership’s offseason has been extra targeted on the longer term than the current. The transfer for O’Neill and the signing of Lucas Giolito had been good provides for this 12 months, however they’ve additionally been seemingly making an attempt to maintain payroll pretty low and have despatched out gamers with minimal membership management like Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo. Whereas they’re not precisely tearing issues right down to the studs as a part of a deep rebuild, they do appear to be conscious that they want to consider the long run after a few last-place finishes within the A.L. East previously two seasons.
Signing Hendriks matches into that, as he’ll improve subsequent 12 months’s roster greater than this one’s. There’s additionally some monetary wiggle room on account of their comparatively modest winter. Roster Useful resource pegs their present payroll at $181M, even after the Hendriks signing. Per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, they had been twice over $230M a number of years again and at $207M two years in the past. RR additionally has its aggressive steadiness tax now at $202M, nowhere close to the $237M base threshold of the tax.
If the Sox discover themselves in competition later this 12 months, maybe Hendriks can come again from his rehab and be a part of their bullpen for the stretch run. However for subsequent 12 months, he doubtlessly provides the membership an elite nearer at a comparatively modest wage, offering an early resolution to the departures of Jansen and Martin.
Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive first reported the edges had been nearing an settlement and that Hendriks was current on the membership’s spring coaching facility in Florida. Buster Olney of ESPN first had the two-year and $10M assure. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relayed the 2026 mutual possibility. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the potential to get to $20M through incentives.
