© Darren Yamashita | 2019 Apr 5
Former Giants outfielder Connor Joe, who started in left field on Opening Day last year, announced on Instagram Wednesday that he’s undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. The good news is Joe says doctors caught it early, his case is curable and that he’s recovering from a successful surgery performed on Tuesday.
Here’s his full message from Instagram, verbatim:
As some of you may know, I made the difficult decision to leave Spring Training 3 weeks ago to attend to personal matters. After some tests and visits with doctors, I unfortunately learned that I have Testicular Cancer. The good news is that we caught it early, and cases like mine are very curable. I have started treatment, underwent surgery yesterday and am in my recovery process now. I recognize the road ahead may be challenging and uncomfortable at times, but God is good and I am staying positive for a quick and full recovery. I am extremely grateful for my wonderful family, friends, the Dodgers organization and teammates for their incredible love and support during this difficult time. Although we tend to shy away from these topics, I am sharing my journey in the hope that this brings more awareness to Men’s Health, and can help others as a result.
Thank you again for your continued support, it means the world to me and my family. I will keep you updated on my path to recovery. I look forward to being back in the game as soon as I am able. Trusting in His plan.
Joe’s time in San Francisco was brief. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment just eight games after making his major league debut, one that came seemingly out of nowhere. Joe was sent back to the Dodgers as a Rule 5 pick, and had another strong season in Triple-A, posting a slash line of .300/.426/.503 in 105 games.