White Sox closer Liam Hendriks nearing return after announcing he's cancer-free

Updated May 18, 2023 5:15 pm ET

Liam Hendriks' return to Major League Baseball could be on the horizon.

The Chicago White Sox closer, who announced back in January that he was battling Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is headed to Chicago this week and will throw live batting practice on Friday following his Triple-A rehab stint, he told ESPN on Thursday. If Hendriks' live batting practice session goes well, he could pitch in the majors soon thereafter, according to the report.

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol relayed similar news on Wednesday, telling reporters that Hendriks could pitch with Chicago again at "the beginning of next week or the end of next week."

"Liam will show up here tomorrow or Friday, and then we'll sit down and talk about how we will proceed," Grifol said. "With Liam, though, it's day-to-day. There's no blueprint for this."

Grifol wants to see how Hendriks' body reacts to the live batting practice session before making any commitment on the pitcher's return date.

"We're just gonna sit down with him, see how his body feels, see how his arm feels," Grifol said. "And then we'll make adjustments to whatever we have, whatever we need to do."

Hendriks announced he was beginning treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma on Jan. 8, and later revealed it was Stage 4 cancer. After telling White Sox fans that he was in his final round of chemotherapy at the team's home opener on April 3, Hendriks announced he was in remission and was cancer-free on April 20.

Hendriks, who has been one of the top relives in baseball over the past couple of seasons, is ready to get rolling again.

"As of now I have a clean bill of health," Hendriks told reporters on May 3. "I'm currently in remission."

Not long after Hendriks announced he was cancer-free, he began his rehab assignment at the team's facilities in Arizona before moving up to Triple-A Charlotte. Hendriks has allowed six earned runs in five innings pitched over six appearances. 

Hendriks recorded 39 saves over 2019 and the COVID-shortened 2020 seasons with the Oakland Athletics. He had a career-best 38 saves in his first season with the White Sox in 2021, and recorded 37 saves last season.

Chicago's bullpen has struggled without Hendriks. Reynaldo López has recorded four saves in eight opportunities and the team only has seven saves roughly a quarter through the 2023 MLB season.