On Wednesday, Padres manager Bob Melvin revealed that third base coach Matt Williams would be away from the team for an undisclosed amount of time after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
Williams intends to be present for Opening Day festivities on Thursday before undergoing surgery on Friday, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
“I don’t have any symptoms. I don’t have any issues,” Williams said via ESPN. “At this point, it’s important now to get it out of there. That’s the plan for Friday, and we’ll see how it goes from there.”
With Williams on the mend, senior advisor Mike Shildt will take over third-base coaching duties.
Williams, 57, was a standout player during his 17-year MLB career. From 1987-2003, the right-hander was a premier third baseman for the Giants and Diamondbacks, in addition to a brief stint in Cleveland.
He made five All-Star teams and was a four-time Gold Glove winner throughout his career. He won a World Series in 2001 with the Diamondbacks and was the runner-up for the National League MVP in 1994. Over the course of his career, he posted an .805 OPS with 378 home runs.
Additionally, Williams was the manager of the Nationals in 2014 and ’15, and was even named the 2014 Manager of the Year for his efforts. He joined the Padres in 2022 as part of Melvin’s coaching staff.
