Hendriks will get his right elbow examined in Texas, likely on Thursday, but the Red Sox are optimistic the injury isn't serious, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier Thursday with a previously undisclosed elbow injury. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said the reliever "wasn't bouncing back" as hoped and his stuff "wasn't where he wanted it to be." More will be known following Hendriks' visit with Dr. Keith Meister, but Breslow is optimistic the righty will return "pretty quickly."

The Red Sox placed Hendricks on the 15-day injured list Thursday with right elbow inflammation, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks had a rough spring, allowing seven runs while striking out just four over 6.1 innings. The Red Sox hadn't provided an indication that he was hurt, but the injury designation is troubling considering his past Tommy John surgery. Hendriks will be eligible to return April 8, but there's no word yet on how long he might be out. Aroldis Chapman will open the season as Boston's closer.

Hendriks has fallen behind Aroldis Chapman in the battle to come Boston's closer, Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com report.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks had location issues during his first few Cactus League appearances but most recently threw a scoreless inning last Saturday. Per the report, the reliever corrected the command issues, but the quality of Chapman's stuff has put him over the top in the competition. Justin Slaten is also in the mix but appears destined for a setup role.

Boston manager Alex Cora is not panicked by Hendriks' spring results thus far, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports. "The velo's good, he's just got to execute," Cora said Monday. "I think it's too early to be worried about that. As long as he's healthy, we're going to keep running him out there."

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks was most recently tagged for two runs on three hits over one inning Sunday, the third consecutive outing in which the Red Sox's potential closer has given up runs. The manager pointed to Hendrik's velocity, which was at 91 mph early in camp before increasing to 96 mph in Grapefruit League games. Cora takes an optimistic tack, while others, like one rival scout told McAdam, see Hendriks has been missing location over the middle of the plate. There's still time for Hendriks (13.50 ERA, 11 hits, four spring innings) to stabilize, but at this point in the Grapefruit League, Boston's closer situation remains unsettled. Aroldis Chapman (4.91 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 3.2 spring innings) and Justin Slaten (no earned runs, three innings) are also in the mix.

Hendriks touched 96 mph while tossing a scoreless inning Wednesday versus the Rays in his Grapefruit League debut, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

He allowed a one-out single but got a swinging strikeout to strand that runner and end his frame. While adrenaline was surely at play in what was Hendriks' first game appearance since a rehab outing last June, the reliever topping out at 96 mph in late February is a good sign. He averaged less than 93 mph during his rehab assignment last year and was sitting 93-to-94 mph during a recent live batting practice session. Hendriks averaged 97.6 mph with his fastball during his last healthy season in 2022 and there's no guarantee he ever gets back to that level, but the hope is his velocity ticks up as we get closer to Opening Day. The 36-year-old is competing for Boston's closer job.

Hendriks is slated to pitch in Wednesday's game against the Rays, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

This will be Hendriks' first Grapefruit League action of the year and his first game action since June of 2023. Aroldis Chapman is also expected to pitch in Wednesday's exhibition, while Justin Slaten is scheduled to throw a live batting practice. Therefore, as Browne wrote, the closer competition will officially get underway. In addition to Hendriks, Chapman and Slaten, Garrett Whitlock is expected to get late-inning work, so how each pitcher fares this spring will be important for determining who gets the first save chances of the year in Boston.

Hendriks was sitting at 93-94 mph during a live batting practice session Tuesday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks was averaging less than 93 mph during his brief rehab assignment last season, so the velocity he's displaying early in spring training, while down considerably from his 97.6 mph average fastball speed during his last healthy season in 2022, seems fairly encouraging. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Hendriks' velocity is "trending up," per Tyler Milliken of 98.5 The Sports Hub, and he believes it will continue to tick up as Opening Day draws nearer. Hendriks is competing with Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten for Boston's closer job.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Tuesday that he's open to the team using Hendriks and others in a closer by committee, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Red Sox would surely prefer for someone to emerge as the clear choice to close, whether that's Hendriks, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock (elbow) or someone else, but if that doesn't happen they could use multiple guys in the role. Hendriks enters camp healthy and is viewed as the slight favorite to handle the ninth inning. However, he just turned 36 and made only six rehab appearances in 2024 after appearing in just five games in 2023, so it's uncertain how much rust may impact his performance, particularly early in the season.

Hendriks (elbow) said Wednesday he's been throwing bullpen sessions for a month and a half and is having "a pretty normal offseason," Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks was limited to just six rehab appearances in 2024 after making it back from Tommy John surgery and threw only 10 innings in 2023 after returning from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It would appear he will enter spring training without restrictions, but it's a mystery what Hendriks' stuff will look like considering how much time he's missed and the fact that he'll turn 36 in February. Browne writes that Hendriks "might be a slight favorite" to open 2025 as Boston's closer, but it's a tentative designation to say the least.

Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Hendriks (elbow) should be "fully healthy" to begin the 2025 season, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Breslow also cited Hendriks' "impressive track record at closing games," which suggests the door is open for the right-hander to win the closer's job. He didn't pitch in a competitive game during the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The identity of Boston's closer was thrown into uncertainty after the team agreed to terms last week with Aroldis Chapman on a deal that becomes official once Chapman passes a physical.