Liam Hendriks has earned some additional recognition.
It was revealed on Thursday evening that the White Sox reliever has been named the American League Comeback Player honoree in the 2023 Players Choice Awards. The awards are presented annually by the Major League Baseball Players Association and are voted on by players from each league.
Hendriks, 34, returned to the White Sox’s active roster in May and appeared in five games after battling non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Hendriks revealed his cancer diagnosis and began treatment in January, and completed treatment and announced he was cancer-free in April.
The right-hander went 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA (3 ER/5.0 IP), one save, and three strikeouts this season before undergoing ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery in August. The current recovery timeline has Hendriks sidelined for approximately 12-14 months, meaning he likely won’t return until the 2025 season at the earliest.
Hendriks was also named the White Sox nominee for the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award, his third consecutive nomination. He helped raise nearly $130,000 for lymphoma research through the sale of “Close Out Cancer” t-shirts, and visited with cancer patients and their families throughout the regular season, both at Guaranteed Rate Field and on the road.
Congratulations on this great honor, Liam!
For more updates, follow us on social media @SoxOn35th.
Featured Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports