The Chicago White Sox have had a disaster of a season in terms of baseball on the field. They are not a good team and they don't make a lot of smart decisions.
However, off the field, they had a big win that is far more important. Liam Hendriks defeated cancer after being diagnosed before the season began.
Not only did he defeat it, but he also came back to pitch in the Major Leagues. That is not something that is just guaranteed and he found a way to get it done.
Unfortunately, he didn't last long this season after coming back because of a season-ending arm injury. He did get to come back from cancer though and that was amazing to watch.
Liam Hendriks has been an amazing player for the Chicago White Sox.
Hendriks is not a lifetime White Sox player but he feels like one. It is hard to remember a more universally loved player in the history of the team.
A lot of players become fan favorites because of how elite they are and the way they play the game. Of course, those things apply to Hendriks too.
He is one of the best closers of his generation and played with a fire that is hard to not root for. Those are the baseball-related things that people love.
They also love the things he does for the city and world away from the field. His charity work and good deeds for the community are going to be remembered forever.
Hendriks is the White Sox nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. This is an award that goes to the MLB player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions on and off the field.
Each MLB team nominates one player for the honor. This is the third straight year that Hendriks was nominated by the White Sox. The Oakland A's nominated him twice before as well. Clearly, he is a great candidate each year.
Not only did Hendriks come back from this disease, but he has now started raising awareness to help other people dealing with similar challenges. This is all in addition to the stuff that he had been
There is nobody more deserving of this honor in the year 2023. Liam Hendriks should absolutely be the Robert Clemente Award winner this season.