Pitcher David Hess, whose MLB career was previously interrupted by a cancer diagnosis, has announced the disease has returned.
“The last couple weeks have been a whirlwind for us with this cancer journey that seems to never want to end,” he posted to social media on Friday. “We found out that inside my tumor was [a] very rare and very aggressive type of cancer called angiosarcoma. Along with that discovery, lung nodules have popped up that we aren’t sure what to make of yet.”
Hess, 29, said he will have surgery Tuesday to biopsy the nodules and also undergo another surgery to remove the tumor. He also will have chemotherapy.
“I will fight like hell and do whatever is needed for a cancer free prognosis at some point,” he wrote.
An online fundraiser was set up Friday to help Hess and his wife, Devin, with medical expenses. The biggest contribution so far has come from Chicago White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks and his wife, Kristi. Hendriks was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma last December and is close to returning to the team.
Hess was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor, a rare form of cancer, in his chest following the 2021 season. After treatment for the cantaloupe-sized tumor, he was cleared to return to baseball in early 2022.
Hess has a career record of 6-22 with a 6.25 ERA in 62 games (34 starts) with the Baltimore Orioles (2018-20), Miami Marlins (2021) and Tampa Bay Rays (2021).
He spent the 2022 season in the Rays’ minor league system, tallying a 2-1 record with a 13.06 ERA in 10⅓ innings over eight relief appearances.