The Boston Red Sox's winning streak came to a screeching halt with Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Alex Cora's club was on pace for a fifth consecutive win as it entered the seventh inning with a 4-2 lead, however, things quickly unraveled after Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck left the game.
The Red Sox's latest loss wasn't how veteran reliever Liam Hendriks expected his first MLB regular season game in nearly 700 days to go. The two-time American League Reliever of the Year surrendered a pair of earned runs on 39 pitches Sunday afternoon, prompting him to share an NSFW reaction to his disappointing debut.
Red Sox RHP Liam Hendriks Gives NSFW Reaction to White Sox Loss
Even though he's happy to be back in the Majors, Hendriks likely would've been happier had he helped the Red Sox bounce back on Sunday. Unfortunately, a handful of White Sox spoiled the fun, including first baseman Andrew Vaughn, who hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning.
After his team's loss, the Red Sox reliever clearly still had the White Sox slugger on his mind.
"Six-hundred and eighty-one days now, but (EXPLETIVE) Vaughn," Hendriks told MassLive's Christopher Smith.
It had been 681 days. Liam Hendriks was antsy.
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) April 20, 2025
(Expletive) Vaughn," Hendriks said after the Red Sox’ 8-4 loss to Chicago on Sunday here at Fenway Park.https://t.co/id07K2psJ6
Before his 2025 debut, Hendrik's last MLB appearance came during a relief outing with the White Sox on June 9, 2023. He signed with the Red Sox in February 2024 but missed all of the subsequent campaign recovering from Tommy John surgery, which pushed back his Boston debut until this past weekend.
Even though things didn't go as planned at Fenway Park, the three-time All-Star is taking solace in the fact that he can now say he's pitched for one of MLB's most storied franchises.
"Now I can say I’ve been out there," Hendriks said. "Now I can say I’ve pitched for the Boston Red Sox, even though it was yellow... It’s now I’ve gotta perform."
Hopefully, Sunday's uninspiring performance was all Hendriks needed to shake off the cobwebs. The Red Sox bullpen will be much better if the 36-year-old righty can return to the form that went 19-12 with a 2.26 ERA, 0.883 WHIP, and 359 strikeouts in 239 innings in 226 relief appearances with the White Sox and Oakland Athletics between 2019 and 2022.
Hendriks potentially turning back the clock would go a long way in helping the Red Sox capitalize on their 2025 World Series odds, which currently sit at +2000 (T-7th) on FanDuel Sportsbook to begin the week.
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