BOSTON (AP) — Liam Hendriks knew the number as if it was his career saves or ERA: 680 days.
The 36-year-old right-hander was back on a major league roster Saturday with the Boston Red Sox, in position to make his first big league appearance since June 9, 2023.
“It feels like at least a thousand,” Hendriks said, smiling in the middle of the clubhouse. “It feels a lot longer than that. It’s been a long and arduous journey to get here.”
Hendriks was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December 2022 and the three-time All-Star returned to the mound on May 29, 2023. He made five appearances, went on the injured list with right elbow inflammation and had Tommy John surgery that Aug. 2.
After the season, he was voted the AL Comeback Player of the Year for 2023.
Hendriks made six minor league rehab appearances last August and three this spring. The Red Sox activated him from the 15-day injured list Saturday and optioned right-hander Hunter Dobbins to Triple-A Worcester.
A popular player known for charitable work, including providing T-shirts for team employees at last year’s season-ending staff party, Hendriks questioned his own ability during spring training.
“Even when I was 96 (mph) in spring, they were taking way too comfortable swings on it and that was one thing that was really hampering me,” Hendriks said. “It was really a mental struggle to figure out what the difference was.”
An All-Star with Oakland in 2019 and the White Sox in 2021 and ’22, Hendriks couldn’t figure out what he was doing differently after the surgery.
“All the data said it was similar but it’s really hard to define the things that made me as far as pitching,” he said. “One of things that gave me the ability to do well was the jump to the fastball and having that jump where it plays up a little bit and gets on guys.”
When he was sidelined, his wife Kristi pushed him to return to the field.
“A lot of it is just showing up every day and making sure you just get that little bit better,” he said, before joking. “That and the disdain from my wife (from) still being on the IL. That was one of the motivating factors, as well.”
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