Article: Liam Hendriks Can Have A Bigger Role In Red Sox Bullpen When He Earns It

[Alex Mayes]

On May 21st, Liam Hendriks aired his frustrations with his role on the team. He told Alex Spier of the Boston Globe that he had “no idea” what his role was on the team. He then said that it was a “source of contention” that he’s had to bring up multiple times. From the outside looking in, it seems like his role is pretty well defined. He’s the lowest-leverage arm in a bullpen filled with other low-leverage arms.

Since those comments, Hendriks has given up six earned runs in just three innings. That includes three on the very same day that he made those comments and then three more on Tuesday, May 27th. His ERA has ballooned to 6.59, he has a FIP of 4.97, a strikeout per nine of 7.90, and a walks per nine of 4.61. Simply put, he's no longer the All-Star closer he was in 2022, and he's definitely not the guy who earned back-to-back top-10 Cy Young finished in 2020 and 2021 as the most dominant closer in the American League.

What kind of role does he expect to have when he puts up those kinds of numbers? Before the game on the 27th, the only high-leverage situation he had pitched in was on May 14th against the Tigers, when Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela made the insane alley-oop home run robbery to keep him scoreless for that appearance. He entered into the game on the 27th in the most high-leverage situation he could be in, but only because he was the literal last man left in the bullpen. Had there been literally anyone else who could pitch that night, Hendriks wouldn’t have seen the mound.

He surely can’t think he deserves looks over guys like Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten, or even Garrett Whitlock. Brennan Bernardino has worked out of more jams than Hendriks, Hunter Dobbins has far more upside as a rookie, Greg Weissert has been steady most of the season, and the same can be said for Justin Wilson. I’d even take Luis Guerrero over Hendriks at this point, given that the ceiling is far higher.

Maybe Hendriks was right in saying something about his role, but it’s not the front office’s fault that he doesn’t understand that he isn’t a high-leverage arm anymore. He deserves looks only when the game is out of hand because he can’t be trusted to throw a clean inning more often than not. It could just be a confidence thing — perhaps a few clean outings can get the ship righted — or perhaps his stuff just isn't the same. He's always been hit hard, but his stuff has always just been so good that his ability to strike guys out (and limit) walks kept runs off the board. With a fastball that's down three full ticks from 2021 and less control of the strike zone than ever, Hendricks is going to have to find new ways to get guys out.

It’s been a sad fall from grace for Hendriks. I think the majority of people want him to succeed given his heartwarming comeback story, but he looks like he’s in over his head most times when he takes the mound. Even if the Boston Red Sox are a middling team after losing Alex Bregman, there’s no reason for him to be trusted with more than a mop-up role at this point.

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[moonslav59]

Hendriks is buying his ticket out of Boston.

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

26 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Hendriks is buying his ticket out of Boston.

Sounds like another example of poor communication between the front office, cora and the player.

[mvp 78]

Hendriks still believes he's a highly valuable bullpen arm. With his FB velo down 2 mph, his value has shifted dramatically. He's now more of a low leverage fungible guy that teams would run through and DFA as needed. 

[mvp 78]

@Alex Mayes often has a knack for timing

 

[Alex Mayes]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

@Alex Mayes often has a knack for timing

 

It's almost comical how often this works out. The Talk Sox Podcast curse extends to pieces written by the hosts too, haha.