TULSA, Okla. -- — Tulsa Drillers manager Scott Hennessey will take a medical leave of absence after he was recently diagnosed with a form of cancer, the Drillers announced on Tuesday.
The leave will take effect after the series with Northwest Arkansas to close the first half of the Texas League season.
Hennessey, in his sixth season as Drillers manager, said he didn't feel right and was having trouble breathing.
After consulting with team doctors and physicians, he was diagnosed with Stage 3, curable squamous cell carcinoma.
"All my friends, family and fans have reached out and said, 'hey you need to focus on you for a change.' and get better so you can get back, quicker," Hennessey said. "That's what I am going to do for a change. Focus on getting better and beating this then getting back to ONEOK field as fast as you can."
According to the Drillers, testing revealed that it did not spread beyond the neck area and the early detection leads to a good long-term prognosis.
“Scott has the support and thoughts of everyone within the Drillers organization,” said Drillers Vice President of Media & Public Relations Brian Carroll in a release. “He has touched and befriended so many people since coming to Tulsa, and he will be missed during his time away. Scott is a great competitor and a winner, and he will take on and win this battle with the same tenacity that he shows in the dugout.”
The Drillers enter the final series of the first half tied for the lead in the North Division.
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