Liam Hendriks Retires From Baseball After Inspiring Career

Time to step away

Liam Hendriks has decided to retire from professional baseball. The 37 year old pitcher made the announcement on Tuesday, sharing that his body can no longer handle the demands of the sport.

Hendriks explained that his arm is completely worn out. "My arm has told me in no uncertain terms that it has exactly zero fastballs left in it," Hendriks said in a social media post. He added that throwing hard now requires a three day recovery window.

Fourteen years at the top

The Australian pitcher enjoyed a long and successful career in the big leagues, lasting 14 seasons. He started his career as a starting pitcher before finding great success as a relief pitcher.

Over his career, Hendriks played for several teams. These included the Twins, Blue Jays, Royals, Athletics, White Sox, and Red Sox. He also spent time with both the Twins and Cubs on minor league deals this year.

He was selected as an All Star three times. His first selection came in 2019 with the Athletics when he recorded 25 saves. He earned two more All Star selections with the White Sox in 2021 and 2022, securing 38 and 37 saves respectively.

Fighting back against illness

In December 2022, Hendriks was diagnosed with Stage 4 non Hodgkin lymphoma. Despite the severe diagnosis, he fought his way back to the mound. He returned to play for Chicago in May 2023.

During that comeback season, he made five appearances, finishing with two wins, zero losses, one save, and a 5.40 ERA. His inspiring return earned him the American League Comeback Player of the Year award.

Unfortunately, more health issues followed. He underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2023. He signed a two year contract with Boston before the 2024 season but could not pitch until the next year due to his recovery.

Leaving a mark on the game

Hendriks leaves the sport with an impressive record. He pitched in 490 games, finishing with 33 wins and 36 losses. He recorded a career 3.88 ERA and earned 116 saves.

His impact went far beyond his performance on the field. Hendriks was nominated seven times for the Roberto Clemente Award. This honor is given every year to the player who best represents the game of baseball both on and off the field.