Liam Hendriks, a three-time All-Star reliever who overcame non-Hodgkin lymphoma to return to the big leagues, has retired, he announced Tuesday.
"My arm has told me in no uncertain terms that it has exactly zero fastballs left in it, and my elbow has made it clear that throwing anything harder than a light breeze now requires a three-day recovery window," the 37-year-old right-hander said as part of a social media post.
Hendriks, an Australia native who began his career as a starter, spent 14 seasons in the big leagues, including stints with the Twins, Blue Jays, Royals, Athletics, White Sox and Red Sox. He was an All-Star during a 25-save season for the Athletics in 2019, then again in both 2021 and '22 with the White Sox, when he had 38 and 37 saves, respectively.
Hendriks was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in December 2022 but was able to return to the mound that May for Chicago. He went 2-0 with one save and a 5.40 ERA in five appearances that season, later winning AL Comeback Player of the Year.
Injuries sidelined him after that, including Tommy John surgery in August 2023.
He signed a two-year contract with Boston ahead of the 2024 season but wasn't healthy enough to pitch until the following season. He was with both the Twins and Cubs on minor league deals this year.
Overall, Hendriks appeared in 490 games, going 33-36 with a 3.88 ERA and 116 saves. He was a seven-time nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clement Award, given annually to the player who best represents baseball on and off the field.
