Mets GM Sandy Alderson diagnosed with cancer, will miss Winter Meetings

New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has been diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer and will miss the Winter Meetings.

New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has been diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer and will miss next week’s Winter Meetings in Nashville, the team announced Friday.

Alderson, 66, will begin eight to 12 weeks of chemotherapy this week and will continue his duties as general manager.

“Sandy will continue with his GM responsibilities throughout the treatments, although of course, there will be days he may not be in the office,” Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said in a statement. “In the meantime, Sandy’s team and I will be coordinating closely with him and keeping him up to date on all baseball matters.”

Alderson completed his fifth season as New York's general manager this fall after taking over for Omar Minaya in October of 2010. He acquired outfielder Yoenis Cespedes at last year’s trade deadline, along with reliever Tyler Clippard to help the Mets win their first National League pennant in 15 years before falling to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.

Alderson signed a three-year extension in Sept. 2014 and is under contract through the 2017 season.

- Kenny Ducey