Liam Hendriks just wants to pitch. It really is that simple. On the same day he went public with his desire to pitch in more high-leverage situations, the former All-Star let one go to waste. The Red Sox blew a golden opportunity with their ace on the mound, as Hendriks ERA ballooned from 3.38 to 5.56 in the process. However, that end result of one game does not define Hendriks, and he certainly didn't deserve the response he received from some Red Sox fans.
Hendriks posted on social media Thursday morning, saying he and his wife received death threats after Wednesday night's outing.
"Threats against my life and my wife's life are horrible and cruel," Hendriks wrote. "You need help. Leaving comments telling me to commit suicide and how you wish I died from cancer is disgusting and vile."
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Why was Liam Hendriks upset about his role with the Red Sox?
Hendriks entire statement can be read at the following link on reddit, or via his social media. While what we can only hope is a small group of Red Sox fans does not speak for the entire fanbase, we can't help but feel terrible for Hendriks in this moment. He's been through a lot in recent years, overcoming non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which he was diagnosed with in 2022.
Hendriks is a former All-Star closer and was used in high-leverage situations with the Chicago White Sox, frequently to great success. He raised his concerns respectfully, and while his first performance in the wake of said comments didn't go according to plan, he deserves better treatment than he's received in Boston.
“I just want to pitch,” Hendriks told Alex Speier. “I feel like I can make contributions to this team. I feel like I can make a lot more contributions than I have been, and I just want to be given that opportunity.”
All Hendriks wants is to feel like he's helping the Red Sox win games. Isn't that every Boston fan's dream? A player who cares, and isn't afraid to say as much is often missing in professional baseball today. Hendriks wears his heart on his sleeve, and he doesn't deserve to be persecuted for it.