Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks was knocked around in his last two outings, and the veteran right-hander says he has received death threats over it.
Hendriks took the mound in a 1-1 game in the seventh inning of the Red Sox’s game against the New York Mets on Wednesday at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. He allowed 3 hits and 3 earned runs in 2/3 of an inning and was charged with the loss as the Red Sox fell 5-1.
Hendriks’ previous appearance was on Friday, when he allowed 2 hits and 2 earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. Boston lost that game 4-2 to the Atlanta Braves.
On Thursday, Hendriks revealed via Instagram that he and his wife have received death threats. The 36-year-old said fans have told him he should kill himself and that they wished he died from cancer. Hendriks beat cancer two years ago.
“Just as an FYI: Threats against my life and my wife’s life are horrible and cruel. You need help,” Hendriks wrote on Instagram. “Leaving comments telling me to commit suicide and how you wish I died from cancer is disgusting and vile.
“Maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate your life’s purpose before hiding behind a screen attacking players and their families. Whether you do it from your ‘fake accounts’ or are dumb enough to do it from your real account. I think I speak for all players who have had to deal with this in their career when I say: Enough is enough.”
Liam Hendriks is now receiving death threats pic.twitter.com/DZk4XNFZ54
— Shawn (@PalmerDesigns_) May 22, 2025
Hendriks signed a 2-year, $10 million contract with the Red Sox during the offseason. He previously had not pitched in an MLB game since he was with the Chicago White Sox in 2023. He battled cancer prior to that season and then was shut down to undergo Tommy John surgery, which kept him out for all of 2024 as well.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, Hendriks told the Boston Globe that he has been frustrated with his role in Boston’s bullpen. He said there is “no rhyme or reason” to how manager Alex Cora has been utilizing him. He reiterated his stance after Wednesday’s loss and said he feels he needs to pitch more often in order to be effective.
Hendriks now has a 5.56 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 11 appearances with the Red Sox. He is not the first athlete to report that he has received death threats via social media.
