Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks fires back at fans after receiving death threats following rough outing against the Mets
Prior to the 2024 season, relief pitcher Liam Hendriks signed a deal with the Boston Red Sox. The two sides agreed on a two-year, $10 million contract, but he did not pitch during that season.
Hendriks had Tommy John surgery in 2023, missing the 2024 season entirely, but he did recently make his debut with his new club. He got back on the mound on April 20, pitching against his former club, the Chicago White Sox.
Taking a year off, Hendriks has not been his usual dominant self and has given up a good amount of runs as of late. He gave up two against the Atlanta Braves and then three against the New York Mets on Wednesday. His performance has copped plenty of criticism, and he revealed that he and his family had even received death threats.
"Threats against my life and my wife's life are horrible and cruel. You need help. Maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate your life's purpose before hiding behind a screen and attacking players and their families," said Hendriks.
He said he wanted to see this come to an end, not just for him but for all players.
"Whether you do it from your "fake accounts" or are dumb enough to do it from your real account. I think I speak for all players who had to deal with this in their career when I say, enough is enough," he added.
Hendriks, a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, wants the fans to act better.
Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks voices frustration over his usage
Liam Hendriks was used as a closer for the White Sox. However, that is not the same role he holds with the Red Sox, and it has become frustrating for the hard-throwing righty.
Hendriks voiced his frustrations about having a different role. He sees himself as one of the guys to be called upon in a high-leverage situation, and desperately wants to help his club in big spots, via The Athletic.
"I feel like I'd been pitching well enough to get trusted in a couple of those situations, and it didn't come to fruition," said Hendriks.
The Red Sox have Aroldis Chapman closing out their games. He got his eighth save on Tuesday against the Mets. However, that does not mean Liam Hendriks cannot move into a high-leverage role if he can put together some good outings.