Amid ongoing questions about their starting pitching rotation, the Boston Red Sox are looking to strengthen the back end of their bullpen. They are agreeing to a contract with three-time All-Star Liam Hendriks, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

The deal is for two years and $10 million guaranteed with a mutual option for 2026, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, and can be worth up to $20 million. First-year chief baseball officer Craig Breslow knows the importance of late-game relievers firsthand and is being active with spring training already underway.

This addition does nothing to help the Red Sox compete in the immediate present since the former Chicago White Sox closer underwent Tommy John surgery in August, but he could be a critical second-half presence if the club is in contention. Hendriks' 2023 injury ended what was a roller-coaster year for him, highlighted by his remarkable comeback from cancer.

Can Liam Hendriks reclaim his past form?

Fans will rack their brains trying to find more than a few closers who were more reliable than the 35-year-old from 2019-22. He bloomed into an utterly dominant ninth-inning man with the Oakland Athletics before finding more success with the White Sox- recorded a 2.76 ERA and 76 saves in 132 games. Although last season's five-game sample size was a turbulent one, a fully healthy Hendriks could potentially re-establish himself as a trustworthy reliever.

There is obviously a chance the right-hander misses the entire 2024 season given the recovery period for Tommy John, but he has already displayed tremendous determination that extends far beyond the baseball diamond. Liam Hendriks started 2023 on the injured list while being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma before making his grand return at the end of May.

Following this signing, speculation will continue to run rampant that the Red Sox are planning to trade fellow All-Star closer Kenley Jansen in the coming days or weeks. Though, Hendriks' current status incentivizes Breslow and the front office to begin the new campaign with its bullpen intact. Fans will keep trying to figure out what the organization has planned.