White Sox closer Liam Hendriks was named the 2021 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year on Wednesday.
Hendriks is the first pitcher to earn the award in consecutive seasons. He claimed the honor with the Athletics in 2020 before the Sox signed him as a free agent last offseason. He is the first White Sox pitcher to be named AL Reliever of the Year since the award began in 2014.
Hendriks collected 38 saves in 44 opportunities and was 8-3 with a 2.54 ERA, 113 strikeouts, a 0.73 WHIP, .174 opponents average and only seven walks in 69 relief appearances this season. He joined Terry Forster (24 in 1974), Goose Gossage (26 in 1975) and Bobby Thigpen (57 in 1990) as the only Sox to lead the AL in saves.
Hendriks led major league relief pitchers in strikeouts, WHIP and strikeout to walks ratio. His 16.14 strikeout-to-walk mark set a major-league record, surpassing the previous mark set by Clayton Kershaw (15.64) in 2016. He did not allow more than one walk in any appearance in 2021.
Josh Hader of the Brewers won the NL honor.
Hendriks was named to his second All-Star team this season.
