Ryne Sandberg accomplished quite a bit during his 16-year MLB career. The next accolade he plans on adding to that long list is "cancer survivor."
The Hall of Famer took to Instagram on January 22 to provide the public with an update on his health. Sandberg shared that he'd recently been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and has begun treatment. You can see his full statement below, along with a few pictures.
Sandberg's big-league tenure spanned from 1981 to 1997. He didn't spend his entire career with the Cubs, but he might as well have. He suited up for a total of 2,164 games. Only 13 of them didn't come with Chicago. He made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 and then was traded to the Cubs before the following season.
The rest, as they say, was history. Ryno would go on to the 1984 National League MVP Award, seven Silver Slugger Awards, and 10 Gold Glove Awards during his time in the Windy City. He was also selected to 10 straight All-Star Games between 1984 and 1993, which included winning the 1990 Home Run Derby. The Cubs reached the postseason just twice during Sandberg's career (1984 and 1989), but he made the most of his limited opportunity. The infielder hit .385/.457/.641 with seven extra-base hits (five doubles, one triple, and one home run), six RBI, and nine runs scored in 47 postseason plate appearances.
He returned to the big leagues in 2013 in a managerial role for the Phillies. He went 20-22 in his first 42 games at the helm in Philly. Sandbergy's club went 73-89 in 2014 and 26-48 in 2015 before he was relieved from his duties.
This is the worst kind of health update anybody wants to share publicly, especially for someone so beloved in Chicago like Sandberg. However, it's a good opportunity to gain some strength from fans and those who have supported him over the years when he needs it most. We wish Ryno nothing but the best as he begins his quest to beat cancer.
