Twins sign ex-Red Sox, White Sox Australian reliever who once led the AL in saves

The Minnesota Twins may have a new addition to their bullpen on Opening Day. 

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, veteran reliever Liam Hendriks has signed a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League camp with the AL Central club. 

Hendriks is a three-time All-Star and made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2011. He spent parts of three seasons with the club, making 30 appearances. The best stretch of his career came from 2019-22 with the Athletics and Chicago White Sox, leading the AL with 38 saves in 2021. 

Battling adversity 

The last few seasons have been rough for Hendriks to navigate. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2022, and he missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John Surgery. 

Hendriks has thrown just 18.2 innings over the past three seasons, but this is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Twins. After just 14 appearances last season with the Boston Red Sox, Hendriks was deemed out for the year following right hip inflammation. 

At the very least, the 37-year-old can provide veteran leadership for the younger guys at spring training. 

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