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.

Manager Alex Cora said Friday that Hendriks (elbow) is likely to be shut down for the rest of the regular season, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks has been on the shelf all season while recovering from Tommy John surgery from last August. He began a rehab assignment in mid-August, and it looked like the 35-year-old reliever was poised to join the Red Sox bullpen in early September until he suffered a setback. There was still some hope that he would be able to play after receiving a cortisone injection in his right elbow Monday, but Cora relayed Friday that Hendriks hasn't played catch since getting the shot. With just nine games left in the regular season, it appears Hendriks will have to wait until 2025 to work in relief in a Red Sox uniform.

Hendriks said Friday that he will receive a cortisone injection in his right elbow Monday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hendriks added that an MRI revealed fluid sacs near his right elbow, which could be taken care of with a cortisone shot, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Hendriks is hopeful to be available out of the bullpen for the last week or two of the regular season, but that will largely depend on the Red Sox staying in the AL Wild-Card race. He's in the final stretch of recovery from Tommy John Surgery that he underwent in August of 2023.

Hendriks (elbow) will likely be shut down from throwing for the remainder of the season, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

An MRI on Hendriks' elbow came back negative after he suffered a minor setback in his recovery last week, but it appears the 35-year-old reliever will not pitch in the majors this season. He threw five scoreless innings across six appearances between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester during his rehab assignment and will now presumably shift his focus to getting ready for the start of the 2025 campaign.

Hendriks (elbow) had a minor setback in his rehab this week but said Friday that he remains convinced he will return this season, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

EDGE Analysis

The setback prevented Hendriks from making rehab appearances on back-to-back days this week, as had been previously planned. Hendriks also said that while he expects to be effective this year, he thinks his stuff will fully bounce back to pre-surgery levels in 2025, when he will be under contract with Boston for one more season.