Former Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who stepped down from that role last June after a recurrence of cancer, announced on Saturday night that he is cancer-free during the New York Baseball Writers' Association of America Dinner.
Alderson made the announcement as he accepted the New York BBWAA's Arthur & Milton Richman "You Gotta Have Heart" Award at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel in Manhattan.
"My health is great at the moment," Alderson said. "Since I left the Mets on a leave of absence last summer, I've gone through the routine, and I've had some chemo, had surgery -- my third surgery -- but at this point, based on medical definition, I'm cancer-free and have been for four months."
Alderson, 71, had been in baseball for more than three decades, serving as the Athletics' general manager from 1983-97, a period of great success for the organization, in which it reached three consecutive World Series from '88-'90, sweeping the Giants in the '89 Fall Classic. He then served as executive vice president of baseball operations for MLB before becoming CEO of the Padres from 2005-09.
Alderson became the Mets' general manager in 2010. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, but he remained on the job and underwent surgery, eventually going into remission. The cancer returned last year, and Alderson stepped down on June 26.
During Alderson's tenure, the Mets reached the postseason twice, losing the 2015 World Series to the Royals, and losing in the National League Wild Card Game to the Giants in '16. Toward the end of his remarks on Saturday night, he gave a humorous answer to the question of what he plans to do next.
"I'm waiting for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado to sign," Alderson said.