White Sox's Liam Hendriks says he might have pitched with cancer - ESPN

CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks thinks he may have been pitching with lymphoma most of last season after he discovered lumps in his neck and then hips last June.

Hendriks, 34, is cancer free now and ready to return to the big leagues after he completes a rehab assignment which begins this weekend for Triple-A Charlotte. He'll make four or five appearances before joining the big league club.

«As of now I have a clean bill of health,» Hendriks said in a Wednesday press conference. «I'm currently in remission.»

Diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in December, Hendriks immediately took the attitude that he was going to beat it and be back on the mound in short order. He spoke in front of reporters, while teammates lined the back of the press conference room at Guaranteed Rate Field.

«I never looked at it as a 'why me thing?'» Hendriks explained. «I looked at it as 'why not me?' I tend to have a more rosy perspective on life than (the general population) so that was my process behind it. 'I've got this. This is my next challenge.'»

Hendriks announced his diagnosis publicly in early January, beginning chemo treatments around the same time. A month later he was throwing bullpens at the White Sox spring facility in Glendale, Az.

«As soon as I found out the regular treatment timelines, I thought, 'OK, how can I beat it?'» Hendriks said. «It was those days on the couch, not being able to move much (after chemo), those were the days you needed to dig deep and find that positive mental attitude.»

Get well wishes came in from all over the sport, helping Hendriks on those tougher days. He read one from Cubs pitcher, and cancer survivor, Jameson Taillon.

«It's your journey. No one can tell you what to feel or