Thu Mar 27 16:30:00 UTC 2025: **Red Sox Place Hendriks on IL, Shuffle Roster Ahead of Opening Day**

**BOSTON, MA – March 27, 2025** – The Boston Red Sox announced a series of roster moves on Thursday, including the surprising placement of veteran reliever Liam Hendriks on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. The move casts doubt on Hendriks’s season, coming just a year after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Hendriks, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal last year, struggled in spring training, giving up seven runs on 14 hits in just 6 1/3 innings. In contrast, fellow reliever Aroldis Chapman impressed, solidifying his place in the bullpen.

The Red Sox also selected the contracts of left-handed pitchers Sean Newcomb and top prospect Kristian Campbell, adding them to the Opening Day roster. To make room, lefties Chris Murphy (recovering from UCL surgery) and Zach Penrod (left elbow sprain) were placed on the 60-day injured list. Additionally, outfielder Masataka Yoshida was placed on the 10-day IL due to continued recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, along with starters Brayan Bello (shoulder strain), Kutter Crawford (patellar tendinopathy), and Lucas Giolito (hamstring strain).

Right-hander Cooper Criswell, initially expected to start in Triple-A, will now join the major league team.

While the Red Sox have not offered a timeline for Hendriks’s return, some speculate that this could be the end of his MLB career. Others suggest the injury might be a minor setback, or even a strategic move to allow for a low-pressure rehab assignment. Manager Alex Cora is expected to provide further updates later today. The team’s decision to place Hendriks on the injured list, rather than outright releasing him, has sparked debate among fans and analysts, with some suggesting it’s a cost-saving measure to avoid paying his full salary.

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