MLB fans, the wait is almost over! With Opening Day here, the excitement is off the charts. Teams are ready, players are pumped, and the stage is set for an electrifying season. But now, imagine this—weeks of relentless training, pushing your limits, preparing to shine, only to be told you can’t step on the field because of health issues. Heartbreaking, right? Well, that’s not just a hypothetical scenario—it’s the tough reality Red Sox star Liam Hendriks is facing right now.

Just when he was gearing up for a strong comeback, fate had other plans.

The 36-year-old Australian Pitcher faced right elbow inflammation and has landed on the injured list for 15 days, per the Red Sox Beat Writer Chris Cotillo. He will be replaced by Cooper Criswell, who has made it to the Opening Day roster for the franchise. Notably, this is not the first time that Hendricks is facing such a health concern. 

The star player underwent Tommy John Surgery in August 2023 and has been trying to make strides since then. He was seen struggling during the spring training as well, posting a 9.95 ERA in 6 1/3 innings, which allowed Aroldis Chapman to snag closing duties. While this did not prevent the Red Sox from slotting Hendriks into a late-inning reliever role, it seems that the team will have some uncharted waters to navigate now. 

For the unversed, Hendriks is currently in the second year of a two-year, $10 million deal after signing in the off-season going into the 2024 season. Now, it will be interesting to see how the last-minute change impacts the team and how soon Hendriks can return from his woes. But guess what? He is not the only player who has recently been dealt a blow in the franchise. 

The Red Sox have also placed Masataka Yoshida (right shoulder), Brayan Bello (right shoulder), Kutter Crawford (right patellar tendinopathy), and Lucas Giolito (left hamstring strain) on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 24. So, will the series of injuries hurt the team? Well, it seems that Alex Cora has some intriguing plans. 

Alex Cora knows “winning business” and is doing it quite stunningly

Managing a team demands some tough decisions, and the situation with Alex Cora is no different. The Red Sox faced tremendous uncertainties over the positioning of players, especially Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman. The third base drama continued in the team for quite some time, but finally, Bregman has been awarded the 3B and Devers has been assigned to be the Designated Hitter. And guess what? The only aim that Cora wishes to make through these changes is victory. 

Speaking about the recent changes that were announced ahead of the Opening Day, Cora said, “We all are in the winning business, and he understands that.” Continuing further in his interview with WEEI-AM, he added, “It’s like everything, right: You don’t have to agree with it, but at the end of the day what are we going to go out there and perform every single day.” These statements highlight that the Red Sox Skipper has some insane plans in hand to overcome the team’s woes. 

Now, with yet another player on the injured list, it will be interesting to see what more Alex Cora formulates. Will the Red Sox overcome the latest turbulence anytime soon? Well, that remains to be seen.