Diamondbacks coach Gardenhire diagnosed with prostate cancer
Feb 14, 2017, 11:59 AM
Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire talks to home plate umpire Ted Barrett after being ejected from the game during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday, July 29, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced on Tuesday that bench coach Ron Gardenhire has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The 59-year-old joined the D-backs’ coaching staff in November and is expected to give first-time manager Torey Lovullo an experienced coach to turn to throughout the season.
“I’m going to fight it and deal with it,” Gardenhire said in a statement. “It’s a bump in the road and it’s not how I envisioned starting Spring Training with a brand new team but it’s part of life. With the backing of this ball club, we’ll get through it and I’ll get through it.”
Gardenhire was the manager for the Minnesota Twins from 2002 to 2014, posting a 1,068-1,039 record, winning the AL Central six times. He was the the AL Manager of the Year in 2010.
According to reports, he will likely have surgery in mid-April.
“We are a family,” Lovullo said. “As a family, there’s a series of tests that are going to come upon us and this is a big one, but we’re going to come together and help Gardy through this to the best of our ability. We’re not going to miss a step because we’re committed to him.”
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