Hendriks, Doval top relievers for September

White Sox closer Liam Hendriks and Giants rookie Camilo Doval were named the American League and National League Relievers of the Month for September on Monday.

Hendriks, who signed with Chicago as a free agent last offseason, capped a brilliant debut season on the South Side by making 13 scoreless appearances (13 2/3 innings) in September and October, going 8-for-8 in save opportunities. The Australian right-hander held opponents to a .128/.128/.128 line and piled up 21 strikeouts without a single walk or hit batter.

Hendriks, 32, finished the regular season with an AL-best 38 saves for the Central champion White Sox, posting a 2.54 ERA over 69 appearances. In 71 innings, Hendriks struck out 113 batters (14.3 K/9 rate) and walked only seven (0.9 BB/9 rate), including just six unintentionally. Hendriks’ 16.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the second-best single-season mark (minimum 70 innings) in the Modern Era (since 1900), trailing only Dennis Eckersley’s 18.25 for the 1990 A’s. (Coincidentally, Hendriks’ manager, Tony La Russa, also managed Eckersley with Oakland).

This is the second AL Reliever of the Month Award for Hendriks, who also won in June 2019, while pitching for the A’s.

As for Doval, the 24-year-old made his Major League debut in April and had four stints with the Giants while going back and forth between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento. After being recalled on Sept. 5, the righty made 15 scoreless appearances over the rest of the regular season, allowing just seven hits and three walks in 14 1/3 innings, while striking out 20.

Opponents hit a mere .143/.192/.163 against Doval during that time, while he picked up four wins and the first three saves of his career.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Doval originally signed with the Giants in 2015, and he now appears primed to play a significant role in their postseason bullpen after helping the club to 107 victories and an NL West title.