Pitcher Has a Message for Fans Who Wish He'd Died of Cancer

On Wednesday, Liam Hendriks took the loss in the Red Sox game against the Mets. On Thursday, the pitcher objected to the reaction of some fans, USA Today reports. "Just as an FYI: Threats against my life and my wife's life are horrible and cruel," Hendriks posted on Instagram. "You need help." He said the comments have included suggestions that he commit suicide and wishes that the Boston reliever, who has battled non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, had died of it. Such comments, Hendriks said, are "disgusting and vile."

A Netflix docuseries released in April documented a teammate's battle with suicidal thoughts. Days after it first aired, Jarren Duran, the Red Sox left fielder, said a fan in Cleveland said "something inappropriate" to him during a game, per the AP. Hendriks' post told his abusers, "Maybe you should step back and reevaluate your life's purpose before hiding behind a screen and attacking players and their families." He added, "I think I speak for all players who have had to deal with this in their career when I say enough is enough." (More Major League Baseball stories.)