Three takeaways from Liam Hendriks’ big night on the South Side for the Chicago White Sox.

1. The White Sox provided Hendriks with a closer-like entrance in the eighth inning of his emotional return to the mound Monday night at Sox Park.

The strobe lights were in full effect. The video boards were all-Liam. The walk-in music, an EDM version of Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” was turned up to 11.

Only one thing was missing. The Sox trailed the Los Angeles Angels 4-3, so it wasn’t a save situation.

Manager Pedro Grifol said before the game Hendriks would not be used as a closer to get his feet wet in his first game back. Hendriks did just that, showing glimpses of himself while also allowing a pair of runs and making the Sox comeback attempt more difficult in a 6-4 loss.

Now that his feet have officially been drenched, will Hendriks move back into the role he’s most comfortable in — and the one the Sox need to fill if they intend on actually contending instead pretending?

Predictably, Grifol gave his stock answer after Monday’s outing.

“We’ll process this as we go,” he said. “Too early for that answer. We’ll process it as we go and see how he feels (Tuesday).”

The Sox have repeatedly reminded the media they’re in “uncharted waters” with Hendriks’ rehab, as they would be with any pitcher returning only weeks after ending chemotherapy. If they take it slow with Hendriks and avoid putting him in high-leverage situations for a while, no one can blame them for being overly cautious. This is, after all, his spring training.

Hendriks, perhaps surprisingly, said he had to earn the chance to get his old job back, but plans on getting it soon.

“I’ll never be OK with mediocrity,” he said. “I’ll never be OK with not being at the back end of the bullpen. But in saying that, I need to earn it. I don’t want handouts. I need to work. I need to earn it. The guys have been throwing well out there. But at the end of the day, that’s mine.

“There’s no freebies, there’s no handouts. I will get there and I will earn it myself.”

That’s a great attitude to take.

But Hendriks already has earned the closing job, and no one else in the bullpen did it with any consistency during his two-month absence. If he’s throwing 96 mph in his first game back, he’s already close to being himself.

Hendriks, like most closers, needs the adrenaline rush of pitching with the game on the line in order to be at his best.

The Sox can’t switch on the strobe light display over and over for Hendriks if he’s entering games in the seventh or eighth innings with the team trailing. It was an appropriate tribute for his comeback game, but would be overkill going forward if Hendriks isn’t the closer.

Hendriks is unfailingly honest, and admitted Monday he “overcooked” his sliders and “didn’t have the killer instinct”

“Usually when I get two strikes, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that I’m punching them out, in my eyes at least,” he said. “I didn’t quite have that today. It’ll come.”

Putting Hendriks back in the ninth inning should bring back that killer instinct.

The Sox also are 22-34 and have the third-worst record in baseball. What do they have to lose?

2. A camera crew documenting Hendriks’ comeback was in full force upon his return to action, following him every step of the way.

One thing that might be difficult to chronicle is the outpouring of support he’s received from fans, baseball colleagues and the entire city of Chicago.

Hendriks also has been one of the most available players in the Sox clubhouse the last two years, whether it’s talking about baseball matters, abortion rights, gun laws or other subjects he’s passionate about.

The local media has given Hendriks his space during his journey back, allowing him to focus on his job without the daily distraction of discussing it.

His wife Kristi said he misses dealing with the media and eventually will be back to his old ways, sitting at his locker and willing to talk about anything.

“Liam loves to talk to you guys,” Kristi said before Monday’s game. “He will be Chatty Cathy for all time. He actually really enjoys this (media attention). I think this is where he thrives, telling his story. When the game starts, he has white line fever. He’s a completely different person on the field than he is in day-to-day communication.”

Kristi added they could not have done their journey without the help of the Sox organization.

“They have been so incredibly supportive, not just to my husband, but to me,” she said. “We’re so grateful.”

3. Hendriks no doubt has a post-playing career as a TV analyst if he desires.

But he really should think about teaming up with Kristi for a podcast or radio show. She sounded like a natural in her interviews and is involved in various charity endeavors with Liam, so she is comfortable speaking in public.

And any time your wife can publicly call you “goofy” and “weird” before your big comeback from cancer, you know it’s a pretty solid marriage.

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