Mets GM Sandy Alderson to Take Leave of Absence to Address Recurrence of Cancer

New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson will take a leave of absence after experiencing a recurrence of cancer, according to Tim Britton of the Athletic. 

"At the end of Apri, early-May, a recurrence was detected," Alderson said, per Danny Abriano of SNY. "Since that time, I've been undergoing treatment. I expect that the treatment will continue. I expect to have surgery later in the summer. The prognosis is actually good. ... "But in the meantime, the chemotherapy, the surgery all take their toll."

Assistants John Ricco, J.P. Ricciardi and Omar Minaya will all take on larger roles with Alderson unavailable.

Both Minaya and Ricciardi have served as general managers at the major league level previously in their careers.

Alderson, 70, was first diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and underwent chemotherapy treatment for several months. He had surgery in May of 2016, which he called "fantastically successful," per Adam Rubin of ESPN.

While the focus at this time should be solely on his recovery, he also indicated he might not necessarily return to the team.

"If I were to look at it on the merits, I’m not sure coming back is warranted," Alderson said Tuesday, per Tim Healey of Newsday.

"I feel badly that we've had the season that we've had to date. I feel personally responsible for the results we've had," he added, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

New York entered the day with a 31-45 record, good for second-worst in the National League. The team is 4-18 in June and is currently on a seven-game losing streak.

Alderson took over as Mets general manager in 2010 after serving in the Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres organizations.