(670 The Score) White Sox closer Liam Hendriks was working out in Arizona recently and playing catch after receiving news that he had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bullpen mate Joe Kelly told the Parkins & Spiegel Show on Tuesday.
“Liam is a gamer,” Kelly said.
“He’s still getting his work in and trying to go about life as normal, which I’d probably do the same thing. Because that’s scary to hear, the word ‘cancer.’
“When I found out, that hurts, not only to know that it’s someone on our team but if it was anyone in Major League Baseball, that’s tough. We’re all part of the same group of guys. There are only so many that ever get to put on a uniform in Major League Baseball, and to have it as No. 1, your teammate, that’s even harder. And then to have it as a guy I’m around every single day in the bullpen, we’re a little band of brothers down there. He’s the one that drives our unit. Without him, there could be guys who have another arm injury because it’s another inning to fill or there could be guys who, maybe we obviously wouldn’t have 81 wins (last season) without Liam. He saved so many games.”
On Sunday evening, Hendriks announced that he had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and would start treatment Monday.
“To hear that, I kind of gave him some time because I know everyone is blowing up his phone," Kelly said. "Later on that evening, I gave it a few hours after his announcement and I shot him a text. I was pretty much just trying to encourage him and say, ‘Hey bro, you’ve been through it all.’ Literally as a player, he really has. This guy has been released what, like five times? He went from starter to reliever, nobody wanted him … He’s been through the ringer, and that’s a testament to his work ethic. I told him, it’s one of those things where we have a saying in the bullpen, where it’s like, ‘Hey, you have shoulder tendinitis or you tweaked your hammy but you still go out on pitch.’ So we say, ‘Just post, just post today.’ I don’t care what you’re feeling, just post. So I ended the words of encouragement like, “Hey man, if anyone can beat cancer, it’s you. Just post.’ Just some words of encouragement, and he got back to me. That was something cool. I know what he’s going through mentally, that’s an even bigger battle.”
Kelly added that Hendriks’ parents are visiting him for about a month from his native Australia, which was notable not just because of Hendriks’ diagnosis but because it had been difficult for them to see each other during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m glad that his family is here to go through a tough time and they can get through this as family,” Kelly said.
“If anyone can do it, it’s Liam Hendriks. That guy is a grinder. Like I said, just post. He’ll be able to get through it, and we’re going to wish him a speedy recovery.”
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