The Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen was recently dealt a major blow when MLB suspended left-handed closer José Alvarado 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance. Although Alvarado will be eligible to return in August, Phillies manager Rob Thomson will have his work cut out for him until a long-term solution is identified.
Could that solution arrive in the form of "frustrated" Boston Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks?
While the Phillies have gone 7-1 since news of Alvarado's suspension was first announced on May 18, concerns about the reliability of internal candidates such as Jordan Romano, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm to handle ninth-inning duties remain ever-present. With the Phillies in need of another bullpen arm with closing experience, and the Red Sox in need of corner infield help following injuries to Alex Bregman and Triston Casas, the Phillies and Sox seem to have some pieces the other team needs.
Veteran Liam Hendriks 'frustrated' in Red Sox bullpen
It was not long ago that Hendriks was considered one of the most dominant closers in MLB. The Australian-born right-hander began to make a name for himself in 2019 when he saved 25 games for the Oakland Athletics. That success continued the following three seasons when he saved 89 games split between the Athletics and Chicago White Sox.
Hendriks' life and career were put into jeopardy following a diagnosis of Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during the 2023 offseason. After going into remission after receiving treatment, Hendriks miraculously returned to the mound for the White Sox in May, and after making five appearances, was sidelined again when he required Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right pitching elbow.
Signed by Boston during the 2024 offseason, Hendriks' recovery lingered into spring training this year. But following his activation from the IL in April, he found himself out of a role when the Red Sox announced Aroldis Chapman as the team's closer. Disappointed by his lack of high-leverage use in game situations, Hendriks recently voiced his displeasure with the situation while speaking to members of the Boston media, according to Chris Cotillo of Mass Live.
“I just want to pitch,” Hendriks said, per Cotillo. “I feel like I can make contributions to this team. I feel like I can make a lot more contributions than I have been, and I just want to be given that opportunity.”
“I think they understand the frustrations,” he said. “I haven’t been a guy who has been taken out of a game in six years, and now, it has happened back-to-back games. I don’t like that. But, I understand it. I feel like I haven’t been pitching enough. If you want me to be me, I’ve got to pitch. I’ll rust before I wear out, and that’s something.”
Following criticism from members of the fan base, Hendriks took issue publicly with fans sending him death threats on social media platforms for criticizing the team and organization's bullpen strategy, per Jared Greenspan and Ian Browne of MLB.com's. That being said, Hendriks looks to be trying to talk his way out of town. With things unlikely to get any better, all signs point to Hendriks being a name that could be available via trade well ahead of the MLB trade deadline later this summer.
How would the Phillies and Red Sox match up in a trade for Hendriks?
Both the Phillies and Red Sox have developed serious needs less than two months into the season. Before Alvarado's PED suspension, Jordan Romano's inconsistency in netting big outs in April had Phillies fans questioning how the team could allow Jeff Hoffman to sign elsewhere in free agency. While Romano has started to turn the corner of late, his poor April numbers have rightfully led to question marks regarding how the Phillies should proceed with the bullpen until Alvarado returns.
With the Red Sox due to be without Alex Bregman until after the All-Star break, and first baseman Triston Casas lost for the season after rupturing his left patellar tendon, the team has been reportedly scouring the market for a replacement. While the team recently called up top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer to handle third base, they have a gaping hole at first base that needs to be filled.
If the Phillies and Red Sox do turn to each other in trade discussions, a swap of Hendriks for Phillies infield prospect (No. 24) Otto Kemp seems to make a lot of sense. The Phillies have already been linked to St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and a recent attempt at reuniting with free agent David Robertson, but the cost of acquiring Helsley figures to be steep, and with Robertson's age (40) and lofty contract demands a red major red flag, options appear limited to sign or acquire a closer with a previous track record of success without breaking the bank.
That being said, Kemp's rise from undrafted afterthought to recently blossoming into one of the best hitters in the minor leagues has become one of the best kept secrets in the Phillies' system. But with Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm currently entrenched at both corner infield spots on the diamond, it's not clear where exactly Kemp would fit into the Phillies' short- and long-term roster needs.
It's quite possible that the Phillies will settle on seeing what internal candidates like Romano, Kerkering and Strahm can offer while the front office continues to do due diligence regarding potential external acquisitions, but it's clear that the Phillies and Red Sox needs line up a bit with this trade proposal.
While Hendriks' slow start (5.11 ERA, 0 Saves) and frustrations with his use in Boston may look unappealing to Phillies fans, these are the types of opportunities that the Phillies front office have to weigh if they feel they need help sooner than later. A trade involving Kemp would probably get that conversation started.