Hendriks frustrated about role with Red Sox: 'Source of contention' 526c1g
Boston Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks doesn't know what bullpen role his team wants him to fill. 2b5q19
"No rhyme or reason. I have no idea," Hendriks said before the series finale against the New York Mets when asked to describe his role with the Red Sox, according to Alex Speier and Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. "It's actually a source of contention that I've had with (the team) and I've had multiple conversations about."
Hendriks owns a 5.56 ERA with 1.41 WHIP and 11 strikeouts over 11 1/3 innings this season after surrendering three earned runs on three hits in a loss to the Mets on Wednesday. The former All-Star closer hasn't pitched in back-to-back games in 2025 after logging just five innings between 2023-2024 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery and battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
"I feel like I haven't been pitching enough," the 36-year-old said postgame, per MassLive's Chris Cotillo. "If you want me to be me, I've got to pitch. I'll rust before I wear out, and that's something. But at the end of the day, I've got to reward them (for) throwing me by getting guys out. If I'm not doing that, I don't deserve to pitch."
Hendriks added: "I think they understand the frustrations. I haven't been a guy who has been taken out of a game in six years, and now, it has happened back-to-back games. I don't like that. But I understand it."
He also acknowledged he hasn't requested a trade despite his concerns.
"I'm not going to go that far or pushing that agenda," Hendriks said, according to Speier and Abraham. "I just want to pitch. 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."
Boston signed Hendriks to a two-year, $10-million contract in February 2024.
The right-hander was once one of the best relievers in baseball, authoring a 2.26 ERA with 114 saves and 13.5 K/9 across 226 appearances with the Athletics and Chicago White Sox between 2019 and 2022.