White Sox Closer Liam Hendriks Headed Back To The Bigs Five Months After Beginning Cancer Treatment

Liam Hendriks announced in January that he was beginning cancer treatment after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Fast-forward just five months, and the three-time All-Star is heading back to the bigs and re-joining the Chicago White Sox.

Chicago shared an emotional tribute video on social media announcing that Hendriks had officially been added to the active roster on Sunday.

A number of different players and coaches within the organization shared heartfelt messages for the 34-year-old's return to the bump.

Hendriks made it very clear that he would overcome his battle with cancer when he first announced his diagnosis earlier this year.

“My treatment begins tomorrow, and I am confident that I will make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible," Hendriks shared on social media in January. "I know with the support of my wife, my family, my teammates and the Chicago White Sox organization, along with the treatment and care from my doctors, I will get through this.”

Get through it indeed.

Hendriks announced that his cancer was in remission in April.

“These past five months have been both the quickest and slowest of my life. Being able to ring this victory bell has been one of the most emotional things I’ve ever done,” Hendriks wrote. “I cannot thank my team of doctors and nurses enough for coming up with the best medical plan for me. No words can express the gratitude I have for them saving my life.”

Hendriks has made six appearances with Triple-A Charlotte in 2023. He's recorded 5.0 innings pitched and five strikeouts during his rehab stint.

Written by

Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.