The Chicago White Sox simply have not been able to build off of their strong 2021 season. Not even two years ago, the White Sox won 93 games on the back of strong seasons from the likes of Tim Anderson, Lucas Giolito, and other noteworthy players who remain in a White Sox uniform, such as Liam Hendriks, Dylan Cease, and Yoan Moncada. Last season, they won 81 games, and now, at the time of writing, they have won just 29 of their 67 games.

Given their uninspiring 43 percent win rate thus far this season, it's certainly looking likely that the White Sox would pivot to becoming sellers as the MLB trade deadline approaches. And it could very well for the betterment of the franchise, as they have a lot of pieces that would bring back a solid return in a trade. But one player may be off-limits in a potential deal.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Liam Hendriks may not be available for trade even as the White Sox plummet down the standings.

“[The White Sox] plan to retain closer Liam Hendriks. He’s not only a fan favorite, but a personal favorite of owner Jerry Reinsdorf,” Nightengale wrote.

Hendriks burst onto the scene of elite relief pitching in 2019, back when he was still with the Oakland Athletics, and he has since continued that All-Star form with the White Sox, totaling 9.6 WAR in 239 innings pitched per Fangraphs.

However, the 34-year old reliever's value to the franchise goes beyond his performances on the mound. Liam Hendriks recently went through a difficult personal challenge, as he underwent treatment for stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year. Hendriks then returned to the mound in late May, allowing two earned runs in a 6-4 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels.

Keeping the veteran reliever may not be the best move to take from an asset-management perspective. But some things are clearly bigger than baseball — and Hendriks' life certainly matters more than the sport. Thus, it may be too much burden for the White Sox to impose upon Hendriks if they require him to swap teams in the middle of the season.

At the moment, Liam Hendriks is on the injured list as well, clouding his availability in a potential trade even further.