Chad Bettis Underwent Surgery For Testicular Cancer; Full Recovery Expected

Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis tells ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer about two weeks ago. He required surgery the next day to remove one of his testicles, but the expectation is that the procedure will not significantly impact his future — either in his personal life or on the mound.

It’s certainly great to hear the positive prognosis for the 27-year-old, who has turned into a critical member of the Rockies’ staff. Bettis says that he has been informed that he should not suffer any impairment to his ability to have children, and ought to “be physically ready to have a normal Spring Training.”

The coming season is an important one for Bettis, who will be completing his arbitration resume in advance of his first-time eligibility next fall. That assumes, of course, that he can continue to grow on the mound. He took a step back in the earned-run department this year (4.79 ERA) following his twenty-start breakout in 2015 (4.23 ERA). But Bettis still provided 186 frames and carried good peripherals, leaving plenty of reason to hope that he’ll be a valuable rotation member in 2017 and down the line.

While any diagnosis that includes cancer is obviously frightening, Bettis notes that testicular cancer is generally quite manageable so long as it is identified and treated promptly. As we send our best wishes to him for a full recovery, we’ll echo his message here: “This only reinforces my belief that each of us needs to be totally in tune with our own physical health, and that taking action sooner than later when we feel like something is off can sometimes literally be the difference between life and death.”