Liam Hendriks targeted July 1 for his return when he landed on the injured list.
The Chicago White Sox closer’s prediction turned out to be pretty close.
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The Sox reinstated Hendriks from the IL on Monday ahead of a crucial three-game series against the division-leading Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox also reinstated outfielder Adam Engel from the IL and optioned outfielder Adam Haseley and pitcher Jimmy Lambert to Triple-A Charlotte.
“It was kind of meet in the middle,” Hendriks said Friday in San Francisco. “They had initially targeted July 8, I was going (with) the first, so we met at the Fourth.”
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He added with a laugh: “If you’re looking at the math, that means I win. Closer to my date.”
Hendriks had been on the IL retroactive to June 11 with a right forearm strain. He threw a simulated game Friday as a final step toward returning.
“I would have been fine being active (Friday), but they wanted to check the box of the sim game,” he said. “You have to understand their point of view: They don’t want to start rushing people back. My point of view (is) I’m not most people. I like to throw more than your average, but we’re all good and ready to go.”
Hendriks has a 2.81 ERA, 16 saves and 37 strikeouts in 25 appearances.
“He’s going to be a huge add back to our pen,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Friday.
Engel had been out since June 23 with a strained right hamstring. He’s slashing .240/.297/.349 with 11 doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs, 18 runs and nine stolen bases in 56 games.
