Liam Hendriks is closing on his Major League Baseball comeback, more than a year after elbow surgery thwarted the Australian pitcher's inspiring return from cancer.
The West Australian relief pitcher is set to have his 14th season in the "bigs" some time this month when he makes a long-awaited debut for the Boston Red Sox.
Hendriks returned to playing on August 18 and has made steady progress, turning out for Red Sox minor league affiliate teams.
He has been hoping to play for the Red Sox on September 6, but that hinges on him successfully completing back-to-back appearances for their Triple A affiliates Worcester.
Boston manager Alex Cora said this week that Hendriks is dealing with routine post-surgery stiffness.
The 35-year-old right hander has been Australian baseball's highest-profile international player for more than a decade.
He was diagnosed with stage-four non-Hodgkin lymphona in December 2022, but returned to the mound on May 29 last year with the Chicago White Sox.
The Australian was named the American League comeback player of the year.
But Hendriks' return only lasted five games before the three-time All Star was sidelined in June with an elbow injury.
That led to the surgery known as Tommy John, an operation common in baseball.
Tommy John surgery means a lengthy rehabilitation. It is to pitchers what knee reconstructions are to footballers.
In February, as Hendriks was in the midst of his post-surgery rehabilitation, he signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox worth $A15 million.
Hendriks made his major league debut in 2011 with Minnesota and has since played for Toronto, Kansas City and Oakland, before the White Sox and now Boston.
He is on the verge of becoming the third Australian to player in the majors this year, along with infielder Curtis Mead (Tampa Bay) and pitcher Jack O'Loughlin (Oakland).
Also this year, Travis Bazzana made history when he became the first Australian to be taken at No.1 in the major league draft.
He is playing in the minor leagues for the Cleveland Guardians.
