Hendriks kicks off closer competition at frigid Fenway

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BOSTON -- It was about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, less than three months before Opening Day, and Liam Hendriks was playing catch in 20-degree weather at Fenway Park. He was wearing a T-shirt and shorts as if it was the middle of summer.

It was symbolic of the joy Hendriks has as he gears up for a season healthy for the first time since 2022.

“It’s not too bad,” Hendriks said of the Fenway chill. “I started playing catch in the beanie, then realized that I don't have the neck dexterity to turn to try and figure out where [teammate Richard] Fitts is while I'm playing catch, so I'd take that off until my ears froze. But other than that, we’re good.”

Hendriks, a naturally enthusiastic person as he displayed even while battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2023 and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last year, is bouncing off the walls with Spring Training about a month away.

“I've been throwing bullpens for a month and a half now,” Hendriks said. “So I’ve got a bunch of those under the belt. Started throwing everything. But yeah, it's all going well. It’s been a pretty normal offseason as far as my workouts and throwing programs, as stuff like that goes. So coming into camp, ready to go and trying to win a job.”

While Hendriks might be a slight favorite to be Boston's closer on Opening Day, he is making no such assumptions.

Recently acquired lefty Aroldis Chapman and last year’s rookie standout Justin Slaten are other candidates for the role. And chief baseball officer Craig Breslow could still go out and add another stud reliever. Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates are among the quality relievers still on the free-agent market.

That’s just the way the ultra-competitive Hendriks would prefer it.

“I look at myself as a reliever, and if I win that job in Spring Training, then that’s what it is,” said the 35-year-old. “But look, I haven’t had a full season or too much work since ‘22, so it's been a while, and I don't want to ever be given anything. I want to make sure I own everything I get. And so it's going to be a competition come Spring Training between whoever they deem is in that mix. And hopefully I get an opportunity.”

Hendriks, who is in town for Saturday’s Fenway Fest -- the club’s rebranded winter fan event -- talked about some other topics in the clubhouse at Fenway Park.

On reuniting with former White Sox teammate Garrett Crochet
“I was pumped. He’s really good for my self-esteem, because he giggles at everything, so it's fantastic. He’s a fantastic human being,” Hendriks said. “I think he's going to settle in really nicely. I think it's going to be great. I know his wife has reached out to [my wife] Kristi, and I've reached out to him as soon as it was announced. So I'm excited for him to come out here and show Boston what he's got. He’s special. He's fun to watch. He does some things that there's not too many people that can do. It’s going to be a fun time.”

The chance to bond with teammates, fans this weekend
“Yeah, it's going to be fun. Obviously, you catch up, you see how the offseason’s going, see who's gotten a little fatter, who's gotten in a little bit better shape, and all this fun stuff,” Hendriks said. “I'm excited. This is my first Fan Fest since 2019 as well, I think. Maybe 2020. I love these things. It's an opportunity for us to sign autographs. It's not an onus or anything like that. If someone wants your autograph, it's a privilege. You don't get the opportunity to do this all your entire career. So any chance I get to come out here and do anything like that, sign an autograph or take photos, it’s something that I enjoy doing.”

Nerves about the upcoming Netflix docuseries on the '24 Red Sox?
“I haven't seen any of it yet. I think my wife is more nervous than I am. Obviously me and my off-kilter comments can go a couple of different ways, but at the end of the day, naturally, I think it's going to be great as far as showing guys’ personalities,” Hendriks said. “I think it'll end up being really cool.”