Liam Hendriks Has Retired From Major League Baseball
The veteran reliever concluded his 14-year career after citing recurring elbow issues.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Baseball
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Three-time All-Star pitcher Liam Hendriks announced his retirement from professional baseball on September 29, 2026. The move follows his release from the Chicago Cubs minor-league system in July and ongoing physical limitations.
Why it matters
Hendriks leaves the sport as a two-time Reliever of the Year winner and a celebrated figure for his 2023 recovery from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His departure marks the end of a resilient career defined by high-leverage bullpen production.
Hendriks concludes his career with 116 saves and 739 strikeouts across 663.2 innings pitched. During his 14-year tenure, he earned three All-Star selections and two Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year awards.
The players
Liam Hendriks
An Australian-born professional baseball pitcher who achieved recognition as a three-time All-Star and two-time Reliever of the Year.
Chicago Cubs
A professional baseball team based in Chicago that competes in the National League Central division of Major League Baseball.
The details
The decision was driven by persistent physical limitations in his elbow that required extensive recovery time. After appearing in just 13.2 innings during the 2025 season and recording five appearances for the Chicago Cubs minor league system in 2026, Hendriks officially stepped away via social media.
Timeline
Hendriks played in the major leagues between 2011 and 2025.
He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2023.
He received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance in July 2023.
The Chicago Cubs released him from their minor league system on July 16, 2026.
Hendriks announced his retirement on September 29, 2026.
The Big Picture
Hendriks' career trajectory reflects the rare intersection of elite athletic performance and public resilience recognized by the 2023 AL Comeback Player of the Year award. His retirement marks the conclusion of a modern era of specialized late-inning relief pitching.
The retirement creates a permanent vacancy in the relief pitching depth chart for the Chicago Cubs organization. Fantasy managers and front offices must now adjust their expectations for bullpen reliability without Hendriks' historical strikeout-to-inning ratio.
The takeaway
Hendriks leaves a legacy defined by his ability to maintain elite output despite significant health hurdles. His transition into retirement serves as a reminder of the physical toll high-velocity pitching places on professional athletes.
Further reading
For more on the current state of professional play, visit Baseball.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sportsnet.
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