Red Sox's Liam Hendriks Gives Honest Thoughts On Closer Competition

Wednesday's Spring Training contest was more than just a typical game for the Boston Red Sox.

Aug 6, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks (31) warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images William Purnell-Imagn Images

Boston took on the Tampa Bay Rays and lost 8-2. While this is the case, it was an important game that saw the competition for the team's 2025 closer take a step forward. Liam Hendriks and Aroldis Chapman both took the mound and shined. Fellow closer candidate Justin Wilson also took the mound but didn't have as much success on Wednesday.

The two most interesting candidates for the job to watch out for surely are Hendriks and Chapman. Hendriks pitched for one inning and allowed a base hit, but didn't allow any runs and struck out a batter. Chapman pitched 2/3 of an inning and struck out one batter and walked two while also not giving up any runs.

It's going to be interesting to see how these two perform throughout the spring but you have to at least feel good about Hendriks right now. He made just five appearances in 2023 after undergoing cancer treatment. Hendriks returned to the mound but then needed Tommy John surgery so he missed the 2024 campaign, although he did work his way back and made six appearances in the minor leagues.

Hendriks is healthy now and weighed in on the closer competition, as transcribed by MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.

"I just want to be given an opportunity for it," Hendriks said. "If I win the job, I win the job. If I don’t win the job, I don’t win the job. It’s not going to change how I go about pitching or my mentality about anything. But fist-pumping in the seventh, it’s kind of (annoying). At the end of the game, it’s more electric...We’ll take it by ear but I plan on winning the job."

No matter what happens, it's just nice to see him back on the mound. Hopefully, he can shine throughout the spring.