Liam Hendriks Joins Cubs On Minor League Deal
liam hendriks is joining the Cubs on a minor league contract, giving Chicago a low-risk chance to evaluate a 37-year-old right-hander who once sat among the game’s most effective relievers. After being released by Minnesota when he was told he would not make the roster, he now appears headed for Triple-A Iowa and another shot at the majors.
Hendriks Heads To Iowa
The move comes after Hendriks spent spring training with the Twins, where he allowed three runs in seven innings. He walked five batters and struck out five, while his fastball averaged 93.9 mph.
That velocity sits well below the 97-98 mph he carried earlier in his career, but the Cubs are not paying for past peak alone. They are buying a look at a pitcher who has already proven he can miss bats when healthy and in rhythm.
Twins Release Opens Door
Minnesota granted Hendriks his release once he learned he would not make the roster. He had been a free agent since then, which made this week’s agreement with Chicago possible.
From 2019 to 2022, he logged 239 innings with a 2.26 ERA for the Athletics and White Sox. That stretch also produced a 38.8% strikeout rate and a 5.1% walk rate, numbers that show why teams still see a route back even after the recent downturn.
Cubs Bullpen Needs Help
The Cubs already have Porter Hodge out for the season after UCL surgery, and relievers Hunter Harvey, Riley Martin and Caleb Thielbar on the injured list. That shortage leaves little margin in the bullpen, so a minor league deal for Hendriks gives them another arm without forcing an immediate roster commitment.
His path has not been simple. Hendriks was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, missed time after chemotherapy treatment, then tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and needed Tommy John surgery after overcoming cancer.
He signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox for 2024 and 2025, then pitched 13 2/3 innings with a 6.59 ERA last season. If he can build back in the minors, the Cubs may still get the major league opportunity they are taking a chance on now.
