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Rockies Bettis, battling testicular cancer, finishes last round of chemo

May 17, 2017, 12:43 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2023, 7:48 pm

Six months after being diagnosed with testicular cancer and two months after a follow-up exam revealed the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis completed his final round of chemotherapy Tuesday.

In a post to his Intagram page, Bettis, surrounded by his family, revealed it was his last day of treatment and his first step toward standing on a Major League mound once again.

“My family and I want to say thank you for all the support and prayers! We’re eternally grateful for y’all. We are excited to move forward and start the process of getting back,” Bettis said in the post.

 

In December, Bettis told ESPN.com that he had undergone surgery to remove one of his testicles in late November after his initial diagnosis.

Cancer markers were undetectable in Bettis’ post-surgery bloodwork, MLB.com Rockies writer Thomas Harding reports, and the pitcher reported to spring training in Scottsdale, Arizona, in February. However, a follow up exam indicated the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, and Bettis began chemotherapy in late March.

Bettis went 14-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 starts for the Rockies in 2016. He led the team in innings pitched, 186.0, while also notching the most wins and starts on the club’s staff.

A second-round draft pick by Colorado in 2010 out of Texas Tech, Bettis made his MLB debut in 2013 and worked his way into the starting rotation in 2015, throwing 115.0 innings and going 8-6 in 20 starts.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.

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Rockies Bettis, battling testicular cancer, finishes last round of chemo