ATLANTA -- The Cubs have agreed to a Minor League deal with three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year Liam Hendriks, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Wednesday. Manager Craig Counsell confirmed the deal ahead of the second game of a three-game series against the Braves at Truist Park.
The right-hander will go to the Cubs’ Spring Training facility in Mesa, Ariz. at Sloan Park. As he builds back up and works towards being ready to compete, he will likely go to Triple-A Iowa.
“It's, you know, essentially, just depth right now and taking a shot at somebody who's had a lot of success and see what happens,” Counsell said. “He's going to have a ways to build up.”
The club currently has 10 pitchers on the injured list, including Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd, who underwent successful left knee meniscectomy surgery on May 7.
The 37-year-old Hendriks, who was released by the Twins ahead of Opening Day after signing a Minor League deal with them, had a case for being called the best closer in Major League Baseball not long ago. The Australian right-hander led all relievers with a collective 9.5 fWAR from 2019-22, a 3.5-fWAR lead on the next most valuable reliever (Ryan Pressly, 6.0 fWAR).
“[He] is a released player, and right now, at this point in his career … he was ready to sign and had some interest. And so, yeah, he's going to get a shot,” Counsell said.
In that four-season period spent with the A's and White Sox, Hendriks made all three AL All-Star teams, pitching to a 2.26 ERA (188 ERA+) while averaging an astronomical 13.5 K/9 and 7.64 strikeout-to-walk ratios.
Since 2022, however, Hendriks has been navigating seemingly never-ending adversity, beginning with his diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that offseason, delaying his 2023 debut until May 29. He was able to make only five appearances that year before suffering an elbow injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. A free agent at the end of the 2023 season, he was cut loose by the White Sox and signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Red Sox.
After dedicating all of 2024 to rehab, Hendriks made his long-awaited Red Sox debut on April 19, 2025. Once again, his comeback was short-lived -- after just 14 appearances out of Boston's bullpen, he was placed on the 15-day IL with right hip inflammation.
That injury would prove to be effectively season-ending; Hendriks was transferred to the 60-day IL on July 8 after suffering a setback and was forced to pause his rehab process again in mid-September due to right forearm tightness, a particular concern given his recent Tommy John surgery. He ultimately underwent a right elbow ulnar nerve transposition procedure, not uncommon for players who have undergone Tommy John, later that month.
Though he has logged just 18 2/3 innings over the last three years, Hendriks is looking to pitch in a 15th MLB season. Taking a chance with the veteran is a low-risk move that could pay major dividends for the Cubs if he's able to remain healthy and recapture even some of the form he had at his best.