Comeback Over? Red Sox Will ‘Probably Shut Down’ Reliever For Season

BOSTON -- Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks was on the comeback trail.

But it looks like that path came to an end and the veteran reliever will have to wait until next season to make his Red Sox debut.

"He's not playing catch," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said prior to Friday's matchup against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. "So basically where we're at right now, probably shut him down. Feeling better. The (cortisone) shot actually kind of worked."

Hendriks eyed a return for the end of August as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, which he had last season. It looked like Hendriks would accomplish that after ramping up his rehab after the All-Star Break and he made six rehab appearances between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He allowed no earned runs over those appearances.

Hendriks had a setback following his last rehab outing on Sept. 5 and hasn't done much since. And Cora knows the schedule isn't working in Hendriks' favor, either.

"We got nine games in the regular season, so it's going to be hard to get him going again," Cora said.

Hendriks, who already had a much more meaningful comeback in his career by overcoming a cancer diagnosis last year, signed a two-year deal in the middle of February to join the Red Sox. Boston understood that they probably weren't going to get much out of the right-hander this year as he recovered from the severe injury.

But given Kenley Jansen's uncertain future with the club as the closer is set to hit free agency following this season, Hendriks could fill that role next season if healthy.