Three-time All-Star relief pitcher Liam Hendriks announced his retirement Tuesday, according to MLB. Hendriks was an inspiration both on and off the field, as he battled back from non-Hodgkins lymphoma to pitch again in MLB. He last appeared in a big league game in 2025 with the Boston Red Sox. Hendriks signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs during the 2026 season.

The right-handed pitcher made his MLB debut back in 2011 with the Minnesota Twins. He was a starting pitcher at the time, but Hendriks struggled early in his career. He'd later spend time with the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics (now just the Athletics), as he became a relief pitcher.

In Oakland, Hendriks established himself as a star. In 2019, he made the All-Star team and turned in a 1.80 ERA and 25 saves. He pitched well in 2020 with the Athletics as well before joining the White Sox in 2021.

Hendriks earned back-to-back All-Star selections with Chicago in 2021 and 2022. It had become clear that he was one of the best closers in the game. His 38 saves led the league during the '21 campaign.

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The pitcher was later diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma but he did not give up on his MLB career. He ended up returning and even pitching in some MLB games with the White Sox in 2023.

He did not pitch in the big leagues in 2024, but he did make 14 appearances with the Red Sox in 2025. Although his numbers weren't great, the fact that Hendriks was still pitching after everything he went through was incredibly respectable.

Overall, Liam Hendriks had a strong big league career. He is truly an inspiration.