Off the field, Hendriks is a different person, regularly trying to network with fellow ballplayers. During his All-Star appearance last week, his friendliness led him to chat with a number of Astros players.
Oakland and Houston have been the top two teams in the AL West the past two seasons, so such camaraderie was somewhat unexpected
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“(Astros infielder) Alex Bregman was like … ‘What do think about four-seamers over two-seamers?’” Hendriks recalled during a Tuesday appearance on DAZN’s “ChangeUp.” “That was interesting because I’d never even thought about it. I’d always thought guys either liked fastballs or off-speed.”
Hendriks knew his budding relationship with Bregman and Astros outfielder George Springer was a bit odd, but he wasn’t about to miss out on a potential friendship.
“I really wanted to hate all of the Astros guys,” Hendriks said. “They’re our rivals … but a lot of them are decent guys. There are some good blokes on that side. It’s a pain now.”
