Sources - Closer Liam Hendriks agrees to 2-year deal with Red Sox - ESPN

Liam Hendriks agreed to a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, sources told ESPN, a bet by the team that the All-Star reliever will eventually bounce back from Tommy John surgery.

Hendriks' proposed contract will guarantee him $10 million, assuming that he passes the physical examination, with the possibility that he could earn more money through performance bonuses. Hendriks had reconstructive elbow surgery last summer, and given the typical 15-month recovery for that procedure, he may pitch late in the 2024 season, if at all. The real payoff for the Red Sox might occur in 2025.

Hendriks, 35, survived stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma that was diagnosed in the fall of 2022 when he was a member of the Chicago White Sox. After successfully completing treatment, Hendriks returned to action on May 29, 2023 — but he would pitch just five games before he was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Hendriks has pitched 476 games over 13 seasons in the big leagues, for the Twins, Royals, Athletics and White Sox, and three times has been named to the American League All-Star teams; twice, he's garnered down-ballot votes for the Cy Young Award. He led the AL in saves in 2021, with 38, and in his career, he's compiled 727 strikeouts in 650 innings. Hendriks is known as much for his effusive personality as he is for ability to miss bats.

Boston will have two elite closers on its 40-man roster, but there won't be a closer controversy. Kenley Jansen is currently penciled in as the closer for the Red Sox, a team that appears to be going through a measured rebuild. Boston has listened to trade proposals for Jansen this winter, and rival executives expect that he'll be moved to another team sometime before the summer deadline.

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