Reports: Red Sox to sign closer Liam Hendriks to 2-year deal

The Boston Red Sox and All-Star closer Liam Hendriks have agreed to a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $10 million, multiple outlets reported Monday.

The deal is pending a physical for the right-hander, who is coming off Tommy John surgery in August and is not expected to pitch much, if at all, in the 2024 season. If he does return, it would be well after the All-Star break, per the reports.

The deal is loaded with incentives, which could put the value at $20 million and includes a mutual option for 2026, per the reports.

Hendriks, 35, pitched just five games for the Chicago White Sox after returning last May from stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hendriks went 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA across five innings. He also had one save before undergoing surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Hendriks began the 2023 season on the IL. He completed lymphoma treatment on April 3 and announced he was cancer-free 17 days later. He was diagnosed in the fall of 2022.

Hendriks, a three-time All-Star, is 33-34 with a 3.82 ERA and 116 saves in 476 career appearances (44 starts) for five teams, including the Oakland A's (2016-20) and White Sox (2021-23).

The Red Sox are expected to start the season with Kenley Jansen as their closer, though he has been the subject of trade rumors.