Twins reliever Liam Hendriks hopes to rediscover success in second stint with team

Liam Hendriks signed a minor-league deal with the Minnesota Twins and reported to spring training as he works to regain form after cancer treatment and several arm surgeries. He has completed a new offseason program and thrown multiple bullpen sessions while aiming to compete for a bullpen role.

Liam Hendriks signed a minor-league contract with the Minnesota Twins and reported to spring training in Fort Myers as he seeks to reestablish himself in the major leagues. He returned to the mound after a 2023 cancer diagnosis but has since undergone multiple elbow procedures and a nerve surgery. Hendriks revamped his offseason conditioning at Cressey Sports Performance and has completed six bullpen sessions, including a Jan. 27 showcase for scouts. He said he will use spring training to compete for a bullpen job and will not pitch for Team Australia in the WBC first round. Key details: - Hendriks announced a diagnosis of Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2023 and made a brief comeback that May. - After five appearances in 2023 his elbow failed and he had Tommy John surgery in August 2023. - He returned in 2025 but the season was disrupted by injuries and he underwent an ulnar nerve transposition with a posterior interosseous nerve release to address numbness. - Hendriks completed a new offseason conditioning program and has thrown six bullpen sessions; one was a Jan. 27 showcase that led the Twins to inquire about him. - He signed a minor-league deal with Minnesota and reported to camp with the intention of competing for a late-innings relief role. Summary: If Hendriks proves healthy in spring training, he could compete for a late-inning spot in a Twins bullpen that has openings. He will focus on camp performance and could rejoin international play later in the WBC process if he is healthy and remains in the pitchers pool.