San Diego Padres coach Matt Williams is set to have surgery on Friday after colon cancer diagnosis
San Diego Padres third base coach Matt Williams is set to undergo surgery after a colon cancer diagnosis as the 2001 World Series champion steps down from the team indefinitely.
San Diego Padres third base coach Matt Williams has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will be out indefinitely as he undergoes surgery on Friday.
Mike Shildt, the former St. Louis Cardinals manager who is a senior adviser to the Padres, will take over as third base coach starting Thursday, when the most anticipated season in franchise history kicks off with a home game. against the Colorado Rockies.
Williams, a five-time All-Star in a 17-year career spent mostly with the San Francisco Giants, said he was diagnosed about three weeks ago.
He will be with the Padres for Opening Day festivities and then will have surgery to remove a growth near his colon on Friday.
“I don’t have any symptoms, I don’t have any problems, but at this point it’s important that we get out of there,” Williams said Wednesday.
Williams, 57, said initial scans show the cancer has not spread.
Padres third base coach Matt Williams has colon cancer and will undergo surgery Friday.
The 57-year-old former slugger will be out of the Padres indefinitely while he recovers.
‘That’s a good thing, so we’ll see how it goes from here. […] I will do what I can and fight as hard as I can to get back as soon as possible.
Williams played 10 seasons with San Francisco, one with Cleveland and six with Arizona, including 2001 when the Diamondbacks won the World Series. He won four Gold Glove Awards and four Silver Slugger Awards.
Williams managed the Washington Nationals for two seasons and was the 2014 NL Manager of the Year. He was manager Bob Melvin’s third base coach in Oakland in 2018-19 and joined Melvin’s Padres staff that season. pass.
“I’ve been with Matt on five different teams, I’ve known him for over 35 years and he might be the toughest guy I’ve ever met in baseball,” Melvin said. “I know that, in particular, he will give the most ferocious effort of his life and he will overcome it.”
Our players have fully supported it. It’s hard to be that close to someone and know they have to deal with it, but I know they are and I know they’ll get through it.”