Red Sox place RHP Liam Hendriks on IL, finalize Opening Day roster

ARLINGTON, Texas — Liam Hendriks’ long-awaited Red Sox debut will have to wait a little bit longer.

The Red Sox finalized their Opening Day roster on Thursday, and among the numerous roster moves the club announced that the right-handed reliever will start the year on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Hendriks missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery and has only appeared in five games since the start of the 2023 season due to elbow surgery and his recovery from cancer.

In addition to Hendriks, the Red Sox also placed outfielder Masataka Yoshida (right shoulder labral repair) on the 10-day IL, right-handers Brayan Bello (right shoulder strain), Kutter Crawford (right patellar tendinopathy), Lucas Giolito (left hamstring strain) on the 15-day IL, and left-handers Chris Murphy (left UCL surgery) and Zach Penrod (left elbow sprain) on the 60-day IL. All of those moves were expected, and each IL placement was retroactive to March 24.

The Red Sox added infielder Kristian Campbell and left-hander Sean Newcomb to the active roster and optioned infielder Nick Sogard to Triple-A. Campbell, one of baseball’s top prospects, is expected to be the club’s everyday second baseman as a rookie, and Newcomb was a former Middleborough High standout who entered spring training as a non-roster invitee.

Among those who were battling for the final spots in camp, Brennan Bernardino and Cooper Criswell both wound up making the big league bullpen after an additional spot opened due to Hendriks’ injury. David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez each made the team as utility players and Richard Fitts and Newcomb won the last spots in the starting rotation.

Boston’s full Opening Day roster is as follows.

Pitchers (13): Brennan Bernardino, Walker Buehler, Aroldis Chapman, Cooper Criswell, Garrett Crochet, Richard Fitts, Tanner Houck, Zack Kelly, Sean Newcomb, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Wilson

Catchers (2): Carlos Narváez, Connor Wong

Infielders (5): Alex Bregman, Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, David Hamilton, Trevor Story

Outfielders (3): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder

Infielder/Outfielders (3): Kristian Campbell, Romy Gonzalez, Ceddanne Rafaela

10-day injured list (1): Masataka Yoshida

15-day injured list (4): Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito, Liam Hendriks

60-day injured list (3): Chris Murphy, Zach Penrod, Patrick Sandoval

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