Grifol gives positive update on Liam Hendriks originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks is throwing at the team’s facility in Arizona and will visit the team at Guaranteed Rate Field this weekend as he works towards a rehab stint in the minor leagues, manager Pedro Grifol told reporters Monday.
Hendriks, who announced recently on social media that his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is now in remission, is working out at Camelback Ranch, with his wife posting pictures of his progress.
Grifol says that he has been encouraged by Hendriks’ attitude and progress throughout his cancer battle, and that he may visit with the White Sox on the team’s upcoming homestand before heading out for work in the minor leagues.
“It’s all about him going out and competing against another uniform,” Grifol said, likening his progress to “an abbreviated spring training.”
The White Sox manager says that Hendriks has been throwing throughout his cancer treatment, and called him a “bulldog” that has been ready to compete from day one.
“The way he went about this, very few people can do it,” he said. “It’s a testament to who he is, and what kind of mentality he has.”
In January, Hendriks announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and that he was beginning treatments for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Last week, Hendriks announced that he was in remission, and that he was beginning to prepare to return to the White Sox as soon as he could.
In two seasons with the White Sox, Hendriks has earned 75 saves and posted a 12-7 record with a 2.66 ERA.
Beyond his impact on the mound, Grifol says that his relentless approach to battling cancer has been an inspiration to the team.
“This is well beyond baseball. This is about life, this is about a great human being that was able to overcome something that nobody wants to see. He did that,” he said.
After the White Sox complete their current road trip, they will return home for a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend. They will continue their homestand in the first week of May with a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins.
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