Late on Sunday, the baseball world received terrible news when it was learned that Chicago White Sox All-Star closer Liam Hendriks had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
The veteran right-hander began his treatment on Monday after releasing a statement via his Instagram.
The Cleveland Guardians are a team that has seen a lot of Hendriks over the years, with them being a key division rival of the White Sox.
However, the Guardians set rivalries and competition aside on Monday, understanding the magnitude of the situation.
On Twitter, the Guardians posted a nice message for Hendriks, voicing their support for the right-hander.
Bigger than baseball.
We are with you, Liam. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/g1535G7BBZ
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) January 9, 2023
This is bigger than baseball.
Hendriks certainly has a long road ahead, but it’s nice to see that the Guardians, as well as other teams have expressed concern for him and wished him well through this process.
Rivalries and competition are one thing, but the human element is another.
Even in baseball, obstacles appear.
The news of a cancer diagnosis is always tough to hear for fans, players, their teammates, coaches, and front office executives.
For Hendriks, the news was likely difficult to accept and understand.
But if there’s one positive to take out of it all, it’s that the entire baseball world will be behind him during this difficult process, similarly to the Damar Hamlin situation.
Even the White Sox’s fiercest rivals, such as the Guardians, will be rallying behind the veteran closer.
On the field, baseball is a competition.
But off the field, it’s a brotherhood.
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