*Photo from Bleacher Report*
Whatever ends up happening with the 2020 season, Trey Mancini won't be participating in it. In an essay sent to the players tribune, the Orioles outfielder revealed that he'll undergo chemotherapy sessions for 6 months and miss the 2020 season. Mancini revealed that he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and he left spring training just before baseball shut down to have surgery to remove a malignant tumor.
Mancini said in the essay that "My treatment will take six months - every two weeks for six months, if baseball returns in 2020, it will probably be without me." He then reassured everyone that he was fine, saying that "But I want everybody to know that I’m OK. I know reading everything and seeing that I had a malignant tumor removed from my colon, it’s a lot to absorb - believe me, I know. I’m not really big on social media, but I posted a video on Instagram after my surgery because I wanted people to see that I looked like myself and I was in good spirits."
Mancini also discussed the difficulties of dealing with cancer during the COVID-19 Pandemic worldwide, saying that "And chemo in the age of COVID-19 is crazy, I'm getting chemo at a hospital in Baltimore, and I have to drive up there alone. Nobody is allowed to come in with me, and that’s completely fine by me. I don’t want anybody else being put at risk - people that are close to me and that I love, and other people in the hospital. You just never know. COVID-19 has spread so quickly. I'm definitely trying to follow all the protocols, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because I don't want to expose myself to anything, especially before going into chemotherapy."
Mancini was dealing with sluggishness and flu like symptoms in the start of spring training, and blood tests revealed he was low on Iron. With his age and relative good health, doctors told Mancini he either had Celiac disease or a stomach ulcer. Mancini's father was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 59, but Mancini said he ruled it out before he got the diagnosis because he figured he was too young, as he's 28. But it was revealed, after several tests, that Mancini indeed had colon cancer. Mancini began his chemotherapy treatments on April 13, one month after the surgery on his tumor. If the schedule Mancini gave is correct, his last treatment would be in late September.
Mancini is coming off a breakout 2019 season, where he became the Orioles best hitter. Mancini hit .291 with 35 homers and 97 RBI to become the bedrock of Baltimore's lineup. He was selected in the 8th round of the 2013 draft by the Orioles. Since making his major league debut in 2016, Mancini has hit .276 with 86 homers and 238 RBI with a .485 slugging percentage in 3 full seasons.
Comments
Post a Comment