CHICAGO — Liam Hendriks’ return to the mound for the Chicago White Sox has been a moment fans have been looking forward to since the news of his cancer was announced in January.
No one knew whether it even would be possible for Hendriks to come back from non-Hodgkin lymphoma this season, so having him back in late May seems like a gift.
It’s a tribute to Hendriks’ perseverance and work ethic, two traits that have defined his baseball journey and made him an elite closer.
Hendriks was not available to speak with the media Thursday when he returned to White Sox Park to map out the next steps in his rehab, which includes a bullpen session or throwing live batting practice Friday.
How Hendriks feels Saturday will determine whether he returns to the minors for more work, gets activated over the weekend or waits for the upcoming trip to Cleveland and Detroit.
Manager Pedro Grifol said before Thursday’s game that the Sox haven’t discussed where to start him if he’s indeed ready.
“The preference is making sure he’s Liam Hendriks, or close to it,” he said.
That’s obviously what matters most. If Hendriks doesn’t feel ready, there’s no need to push him. Every game is critical for a team that has dug itself a hole this large, and bringing Hendriks back too soon just to make his 2023 debut on the South Side might not be a prudent decision in the long run.
Still, there is no denying it would be nice to give Sox fans a chance to greet Hendriks with a long and loud ovation in his first game back. There haven’t been many moments to savor in this nightmarish start to the season, and watching Hendriks running in from the bullpen for the first time would be a sight to behold.
Hendriks’ return should be beneficial to a team that could use some energy.
“It’s a big boost,” Dylan Cease said. “If there’s anyone that’s gone through hard times this season, it’s him. He’s definitely one of the more vocal guys in the clubhouse, and it’s going to be great to have him back.”
Hopefully things go smoothly Friday and Hendriks is back in action this weekend. Otherwise the outlook at 35th Street and Shields Avenue remains blurry at best.
An announced crowd of 11,900 on a gorgeous afternoon watched the Sox lose to the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in the finale of the three-game series. Cease had a second straight strong outing, but Tim Anderson’s error allowed the go-ahead run to score in a two-run seventh inning, and the Sox went down meekly after that, falling back to 13 games under .500 at 16-29.
There’s nothing really new to say about the Sox, who continue to talk like a team that’s going to make a move and then take another step backward. The body language after losses says everything you need to know.
On Thursday the Sox had the bases loaded with no outs in the second inning but failed to score, letting Guardians left-hander Logan Allen off the hook. The Sox came into the afternoon hitting .383 off lefties the previous 10 games.
“It’s not a secret we’ve struggled to score with runners in scoring position this year,” catcher Seby Zavala said. “If we cashed in those runs, gives our pitcher a little better chance, a little more room. But we’ve just got to figure out how to get those runners in.”
The narrative that the Sox still can win the American League Central likely will stick around for the foreseeable future, in spite of any real hot streak. After an 8-21 start, the Sox have gone 8-8 in May, gaining a half-game on the division-leading Minnesota Twins.
The Sox could be accidental contenders, but their fans are too smart to fall for it by this point.
Four of the bottom eight teams in hitting on Thursday resided in the AL Central: the Kansas City Royals (23rd), Twins (25th) Detroit Tigers (27th) and Guardians (28th). Those teams’ lineups make the Sox look like Murderers Row.
But Sox pitching remains the key. They were second-to-last in the major leagues with a 5.36 ERA entering Thursday despite recent improvement from the rotation. The Sox have no shot at winning a division — even one as bad as this — unless the pitching lives up to its preseason billing.
At least Garrett Crochet returned Thursday after being out of action since the end of 2021, a significant moment that was ignored by the crowd that was put to sleep by the Sox offense. With Crochet and Hendriks back, Grifol will be able to slot all their relievers in their comfort zones. Better late than never.
The better Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito, Mike Clevinger and Joe Kelly pitch in the next two months, the easier it will be for general manager Rick Hahn to find a trading partner for all four veteran pitchers.
If this team can’t get over .500 for the second straight season, Hahn has no choice but to start unloading parts that aren’t part of the team’s future. The Sox invented the term “White flagging it” in 1997, and a repeat seems appropriate 26 years later.
Cease, Michael Kopech and Crochet should be around for the next version of the Sox, whatever that might be, but everyone else on the staff should have an overnight bag packed and ready.
At least it was a nice day at the ballpark, the food was tasty and the game was over in 2 hours, 17 minutes so fans could avoid rush-hour traffic.
When it comes to the White Sox, the little things count.
