Liam Hendriks ready to ramp up after beating lymphoma
CHICAGO (AP) — Wearing a black T-shirt with white lettering that learn “STRUCKOUT CANCER,” Liam Hendriks directed a number of well-placed jabs towards a few his teammates. He joked about his studying habits and chuckled as he defined how he truly gained weight whereas combating non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
It was the identical outdated Hendriks — as if the struggle of his life had solely strengthened all the pieces the Chicago White Sox nearer already knew.
“It was never a thing to me where I ever worried,” Hendriks stated. “Like I never self-involved and looked into it as a ‘Why me?’ thing. I looked at it as a ‘Why not me?’”
That’s how Hendriks obtained by way of all of it. From noticing lumps on his neck final summer time to a analysis of stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma after which immunotherapy and chemotherapy, all the way in which to a clear invoice of well being final month. All the way in which to a Triple-A rehab project that begins Friday.
All the way in which again to the White Sox — fairly probably, very quickly.
“It hasn’t changed my outlook on life, but it’s definitely made me miss being in this clubhouse,” Hendriks stated Wednesday in his first media session since he introduced his analysis in January. “It’s made me miss being a part of the team.”
The White Sox additionally missed their eccentric Australian nearer.
“No matter what we do as a team, this is the best news of the year,” right-hander Lucas Giolito stated. “He beat cancer. He’s back. He’s going to compete at a very, very high level.”
Chicago supervisor Pedro Grifol stated the plan is for Hendriks to make 4 or 5 rehab appearances within the minors earlier than figuring out if he is able to return to the majors. How Hendriks feels would be the figuring out issue.
“He lifts us all up. He’s an inspiration to us all,” Grifol stated. “And just the way he went about it is just incredible.”
The 34-year-old Hendriks has 115 saves and a 3.81 ERA over 12 seasons with Minnesota, Toronto, Kansas City, Oakland and Chicago. He signed a $54 million, three-year cope with the White Sox in January 2021.
Hendriks led the American League with a career-high 38 saves in his first yr with Chicago. The right-hander was third within the majors with 37 saves and made his third All-Star group in 2022, however he felt drained towards the top of the yr — and now, he thinks he is aware of why.
“With the lumps in my neck coming around June, when I got the PET scan done, one, I looked like a Dalmatian, which is not great even though we have one,” he stated. “But it turned out those in my hips have been truly larger.
“So, there’s no way to put a real timeline on it, but if I had the ones in my neck in June and the ones in my hip were bigger, there was always the chance that I pitched damn near all year with lymphoma in my system.”
Hendriks stayed lively after his analysis, throwing bullpen classes as his teammates ready for the season throughout spring coaching. His spouse, Kristi, was a continuing presence at this facet, and he stated he might by no means thank her sufficient for what she did.
He was backed by assist from everywhere in the majors, together with letters from youngsters in Toronto who wrote about how they appreciated him extra in a Blue Jays uniform than a White Sox uniform. A textual content message from Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon — one other most cancers survivor — additionally stayed with him.
“’It’s your journey. Nobody can tell you what to feel or what to do baseball-wise. Do whatever you feel is right.’” Hendriks stated, studying Taillon’s message from his telephone. “That was on January thirtieth … that was one of many messages that actually hit me, hit me within the eyes. I believe it was proper across the subsequent day or a few days later I used to be on the mound throwing a bullpen.”
