Liam Hendriks will not test free agency again until after the 2023 season, or after the 2024 season if the Chicago White Sox pick up their team option. Whenever that time comes, there is one team that has already been eliminated from his consideration – the Texas Rangers.
Hendriks has been very upfront about his support of the LBGTQIA+ community, to the point of asking teams if they had a Pride Night. While he said that was not necessarily going to be a factor, he wanted to make certain that he would be comfortable with the team and their views.
Texas Rangers continue to ensure Liam Hendriks will never join team
Then there are the Rangers. They have stubbornly refused to hold a Pride Night, the only major league team that has not. The organization also refuses to share any of the LGBTQIA+ inclusive social media posts put out by Major League Baseball. It is clearly a deliberate choice by the Rangers.
That choice could impact their future. Hendriks has made it clear that he wants to be a part of a team that is willing to celebrate diversity and that he wants to be front and center in that celebration. The Rangers, most decidedly, are not that.
And that will certainly weigh on Hendriks’ decision making process going forward. While he claims that is not going to be the case, it is going to be in the back of his mind. If everything else is equal, there is no reason for Hendriks to pick the Rangers over another team given their history.
The Rangers have not displayed any indication that their stance is going to change. Pride Night has yet to come to Globe Life Warehouse and it is unsure if that will ever happen. Until then, it is safe to say that Hendriks will not be a part of their roster.
Liam Hendriks made certain that the Chicago White Sox had a Pride Night before signing. That takes the Texas Rangers out of contention in the future.