Liam Hendriks spent five MLB seasons with the Athletics, so the city of Oakland holds a special place in his heart.
With the A’s uncertain future in the Bay and relocation to Las Vegas seeming more realistic, Hendriks recently spoke with NBC Sports California’s Brodie Brazil about the ongoing situation with his former team while the Chicago White Sox were in town for a three-game weekend series.
The 34-year-old notes that the possibility of the A’s relocating is disheartening, since the reliever has seen the atmosphere that Oakland fans provide the team.
“It is disappointing,” Hendriks told Brazil. “Obviously, I loved playing here. I loved being a part of it. I love coming to the field, every day, the fans that are here, every game, they are here, every game and they are, they are energetic. They give everything they’ve got every single day. And it’s unfortunate that it’s come to this. but it’s also been the writing on the wall for however many years that was always the assumption was, hey, look, they’re gonna move in.
“So and so and so and so, and that’s something that everybody has always heard when they’ve come here for the last probably 15 years. It’s unfortunate that it’s happening… It crushes me for the fans that come to the games. “
Furthermore, Hendriks praised A’s fans’ recent “reverse boycott” since it allowed them to voice their emotions at the ballpark, not just on social media platforms.
“Yeah, it was great. I loved it. I loved it. I mean, it’s, it just shows you that there is a very passionate fan base. They may not come out in droves like I think may have changed anything but, look , the ones that come here, every game are very passionate.
“I mean, I still get Oakland fans reaching out to me all the time about just how it’s going and just literally just reaching out to see how I’m doing. And that’s the sort of stuff that is special. This place holds a special place in my heart.”
Although Hendriks and many others have praised the “reverse boycott” for showing Oakland’s passion for the A’s, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred wasn’t one of them.
“We did everything we could possibly do to keep the club in Oakland,” Manfred recently said. “Unfortunately, one night doesn’t change a decade worth of inaction.”
The A’s will reportedly play the 2024 MLB season in Oakland after Nevada legislatures passed a $380 million funding bill. Senate Bill 1 (SB1) was then signed into law by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, but a move to Las Vegas isn’t certain as the A’s have to meet requirements for relocation.