FORT MYERS, FLA. — It’s been four years since Liam Hendriks was one of the best closers in the American League, but the Twins will give him a look during spring training.
Hendriks agreed to a minor league contract, which includes an invite to big-league camp, a source confirmed to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Hendriks, a 37-year-old righthander from Australia, spent the first three seasons of his career (2011-13) with the Twins as a struggling starting pitcher. He was designated for assignment and started a journey with several teams before he found success out of the bullpen.
He recorded 114 saves from 2019 to 2022 with the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox, but he has barely pitched over the past three years.
He missed most of the 2023 season with the White Sox battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was in remission after five months of cancer treatment, but shortly after returning to the mound, he required Tommy John surgery, which kept him sidelined throughout the 2024 season.
Hendriks pitched only 13⅔ innings for the Boston Red Sox last year, with a 6.59 ERA, which included trips to the injured list for right elbow inflammation and right hip inflammation. He underwent right elbow ulnar nerve transposition surgery at the end of September.
Merryweather signs with Twins
Along with Hendriks, the Twins agreed to terms on a minor league contract with righty reliever Julian Merryweather, which includes an invite to big-league spring training, a source told the Star Tribune.
Merryweather, 34, had a 5.79 ERA in 18⅔ innings with the Chicago Cubs last year.
