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    Liam Hendriks retires after 14-year career

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    FA Relief Pitcher #31
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    Liam Hendriks announced his retirement from professional baseball.

    For all Hendriks accomplished during his lengthy major-league career, it will be his inspiring comeback after beating non-Hodgkin lymphoma that he is remembered for most. The 37-year-old reliever hangs up his spikes after a 14-year odyssey where he spent time with six different organizations, compiling 116 saves along with a 3.88 ERA across 663 2/3 innings. He was a three-time All-Star in addition to being a two-time winner of the Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year Award.
Diaz is a 'massive linchpin' in Rays' lineup
Eric Samulski and James Schiano break down why Yandy Diaz is a crucial piece to the Tampa Bay Rays' lineup in this World Series and how he is one of the most underrated hitters in the MLB.

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  • FA Relief Pitcher #31
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    Hendriks tossed four scoreless innings for Triple-A Iowa before presumably triggering the opt-out clause in his minor league deal with Chicago last week. The 37-year-old former closer should be able to latch on somewhere if he chooses to continue his career.
  • CHC Relief Pitcher #31
    Hendriks made his debut for the Cubs after signing a minor league deal with them on May 13th. The 37-year-old sat 94.2 mph on his four-seam fastball and got five whiffs on eight total swings, mostly with his slider. Fastball command and velocity will be crucial for Hendriks if he wants to pitch meaningful innings in the Cubs’ bullpen.
  • CHC Relief Pitcher #31
    Hendriks was with the Twins to begin the season, but had an opt-out clause that he enacted prior to the end of spring training. His four-seam fastball was averaging below 94 mph this spring, and he’s missed significant time with injuries over the last few seasons. He remains a feel-good story because of all he has had to overcome over the last few seasons, but his days of being an impactful fantasy reliever are likely over.
  • FA Relief Pitcher #31
    Liam Hendriks had an opt-out in his contract and presumably informed the Twins that he would like to exercise that. The veteran allowed three runs on nine hits in seven innings this spring, while striking out five and walking five. His four-seam fastball averaged just 93.9 mph on Thursday against the Red Sox, and he gave up two hard-hit balls in one inning of work. With Hendriks no longer on the roster, the Twins could split the ninth inning between Cole Sands and Taylor Rogers, depending on the handedness of the hitters due up in the ninth.
  • MIN Relief Pitcher #31
    Hendricks has given up one run over four innings this spring, striking out two in the process. The 37-year-old averaged 93.6 mph with his fastball today, which is down four mph from his last time healthy and effective with the White Sox in 2022. He probably doesn’t project as an above average reliever at this point, but even if he’s just adequate, he might wind up with a fair number of saves in a weak Twins pen.
  • MIN Relief Pitcher #31
    The 37-year-old hurler has thrown just 18 2/3 innings in the big leagues over the past three seasons, but as long as he’s healthy he could wind up being an integral part of the Twins’ bullpen. If he looks strong this spring, he could compete with Taylor Rogers and Justin Topa for save chances, making him worthy of a late-round flier in deeper mixed leagues.
  • FA Relief Pitcher #31
    It’s a full circle for Hendriks, who signed with the Twins as a teenager and made his major league debut for the club in 2011. One certainly can’t count on Hendriks staying healthy at age 37 after throwing just 18 2/3 innings in the majors the last three years, but if he does, there’s a good chance he’ll wind up leading the Twins in saves, given the state of their pen. If he impresses this spring, he could be worth a flier.
  • FA Relief Pitcher #31
    Hendriks is facing an extended absence after undergoing elbow surgery back in late September. The 36-year-old former closer wound up making just 14 relief appearances for the Red Sox during his two years with the club. It’s unclear whether there will be any interest on the open market, but he’s unlikely to find himself in any high leverage spots in the near future.
  • BOS Relief Pitcher #31
    It’s officially a right elbow ulnar nerve transposition surgery with posterior interosseous nerve release. Hendriks insisted throughout the second half of the season that he intends to continue pitching, but he’s obviously not going to be an option for Boston during the postseason. The 36-year-old will likely hit free agency this offseason, assuming the Red Sox decline their end of his mutual option for 2026. It’s unclear at the moment how this latest surgical procedure impacts his readiness for next spring.
  • BOS Relief Pitcher #31
    Cora added that Hendriks has been shut down from throwing after experiencing forearm tightness a couple weeks ago. The latest development slams the door on Hendriks potentially making it back to Boston’s bullpen mix for the postseason. The 36-year-old former closer has been out since late May recovering from hip inflammation.

Rotoworld

  • HOU Left Fielder #10
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    Joey Loperfido had arthroscopic surgery on his right hip.

    The Astros said that the surgery was to “address a labral injury and hip impingement that were identified shortly after the season ended.” Loperfido is not expected to miss time during the regular season, but he will be behind in spring training, which could make it hard for him to make the MLB roster out of camp.
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    Royals released C Jorge Alfaro.

    Alfaro signed a minor league deal with the Royals in December and hit .223/.287/.468 with 15 home runs in 62 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He also struck out over 41 percent of the time. He will likely get an MLB spring training invite somewhere.
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    Francisco Lindor was awarded the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award.

    The Roberto Clemente Award, which began in 1971, “is the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field.” Every team nominates one player for the award, and a panel of former players, journalists, and executives decides on the winner. Lindor was chosen, in part, due to his support for his native Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Maria and Fiona, an annual back-to-school initiative he runs in Queens, support for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and the Lindor Leaders Program, which, in partnership with New Balance, is a “year-long leadership development initiative for students in Bayside High School’s Sports Medicine Program that focuses on mental health, communication, teamwork, and leadership.”
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    Rocco Baldelli has withdrawn from the Mariners’ managerial search, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports.

    Baldelli cited family considerations in making the decision. The former Twins manager is currently serving as a special assistant in the Dodgers front office.
  • FA Relief Pitcher #49
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    Free agent Michael Kelly is drawing interest from Japanese teams, says MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

    When he wasn’t serving a 162-game suspension for betting on baseball, Kelly was effective for the A’s in 2024 and ’25, amassing a 2.92 ERA in 70 innings between the two seasons. His 2026 was a total bust, though, and he sat out the second half after being released by the A’s. He’ll almost certainly have to take a minor league deal if he remains in the U.S.
  • HOU Designated Hitter #44
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    The Astros are hiring Conner Watson as their director of hitting, The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reports.

    Not having a GM or a manager isn’t keeping the Astros from adding to their staff. Watson has been an assistant hitting director for the Guardians the last two years.
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    Liam Hicks (forearm) told reporters that he was fine after being drilled in the forearm by a pitch during Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night.

    Hicks was clipped by DL Hall when leading off the sixth inning. He stayed in the game to run the bases for himself and caught another two innings but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. The 27-year-old backstop ensures that he’ll be available for Game 3 on Monday in Tampa Bay.
  • MIL Starting Pitcher #46
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    Brewers’ right-hander Quinn Priester (shoulder) is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

    The 26-year-old righty underwent decompression surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in June and was initially given a recovery timeline of 8-10 months. He has made solid progress in his recovery though and is now expected to land on the shorter side of that estimate, making it so he could be ready for the start of the 2027 season. While he has done a terrific job for the Brewers when healthy, he’ll face stiff competition for a spot in the club’s rotation to open the 2027 campaign.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #49
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    Pablo López (elbow) is on track to be ready for the start of spring training.

    The 30-year-old hurler underwent Tommy John surgery in late February. He has been throwing since late August and should be able to go through a familiar offseason routine. Some inconsistency is always to be expected when pitchers return from the procedure, but Lopez could represent a nice value in early fantasy drafts.
  • MIL Shortstop #87
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    Cooper Pratt hit the go-ahead single in the Brewers’ 5'4 win over the Rays in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday.

    Pratt’s day got off to a rough start, as he made an error that allowed Yandy Díaz to reach second base and score one of four runs for the Rays in the first inning. It was all Brewers from that point on, and Pratt made up for the gaffe with an opposite-field single that scored Brice Turang in the seventh that gave the Brew Crew a 5-4 lead and ultimately the victory. Pratt has now made four errors and a few other mistakes in the field, but he has hit .286 in the postseason, and he now has Milwaukee two wins away from their first ever championship. Game 3 will take place Monday with the series moving to Tampa Bay.
    - Christopher Crawford