Among the many struggles of the White Sox over the past few seasons has been the team’s inability to find stability in the back end of their bullpen. Not since Liam Hendriks in 2022 have the White Sox had an established closer that could reliably get the final outs day in and day out. Seranthony Dominguez is off to a decent start and could fill that role for the 2026 team, but he’s unlikely to reach the highs that Hendriks reached during his time in Chicago. It’s been a struggle for Hendriks over the past few seasons, but the former White Sox all-star has found another contract this week that he hopes will keep his big league career alive.
The Chicago Cubs have signed RHP Liam Hendriks to a minor league deal, sources tell the Athletic.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) May 13, 2026
Hendriks, 37, originally broke into the league as a starter before moving to the bullpen later in his career. He got his first shot at closing in 2019 with the Athletics, notching 25 saves and posting a 1.80 ERA. Hendriks went 14-for-15 in saves during the shortened 2020 season, including a save against the White Sox in the postseason. Hendriks joined the White Sox in free agency that offseason and became the team’s closer in 2021, saving 38 and 37 games in each of his first two seasons and making the all-star team both years.
Hendriks' adversity has led him back to Chicago, but not the right side
Hendriks looked primed for his third-straight all-star appearance when a cancer diagnosis put his career on hold. Thankfully, Hendriks beat the cancer and returned to baseball, but he’s struggled to stay healthy and productive in the years since. He signed a deal with Boston, but appeared in just 14 games with them over two seasons. After inking a minor league deal with the Twins this offseason, Hendriks didn’t make the Opening Day roster and elected free agency, sitting out the first seven weeks before landing his deal with the Cubs. At the time of his release, I felt a reunion with the White Sox could make some sense, but instead he'll head to the other side of town.
Hendriks’ path to the big leagues with the Cubs is unclear, but the team has dealt with a few injuries early this season and could be looking to Hendriks for depth. He’s unlikely to ever become the dominant closer he once was, but Hendriks could still be a reliable medium-leverage option.
I’m typically a believer in rooting for former White Sox players to succeed elsewhere. Especially a player who was nothing but class during his stint with the White Sox and performed well on the field is easy to root for. But it seems like Hendriks is progressively making it more difficult for White Sox fans to root for him, first signing with the Twins, then the Cubs. I suppose I now have a favorite Cubs player. I didn’t have that on my bingo card for 2026.
Hopefully Liam is able to catch on with the Cubs and continue his big league career as he reaches his late-30s. Liam has always been a class act and he deserves to succeed.
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