Inspirational Chicago White Sox Hurler Takes Home AL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday after returning to the mound in 2023 following a courageous battle with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma last offseason.
Per a press release from Major League Baseball:
Chicago White Sox right-handed pitcher Liam Hendriks has been named the American League Comeback Player honoree in the 2023 Players Choice Awards. The Players Choice Awards are presented by the Major League Baseball Players Association and voted on by players from each league.
Hendriks, 34, returned to the White Sox 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. He 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.
Hendriks's return to the mound ended up being the best moment of the year for the White Sox, who finished with the third-worst record in the American League and finished fourth in the American League Central.
Having played 13 years in the big leagues, Hendriks has appeared in games for the Twins, Blue Jays, Royals, Athletics and White Sox. He's 33-34 lifetime with a 3.82 ERA. He has 116 career saves, including a league-leading 38 back in 2021.
He is a three-time All-Star. Given the nature of his UCL surgery, he is likely to miss the entirety of the 2024 season.
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