Longtime Cubs star, Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg dies after cancer battle

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Longtime Chicago Cubs star and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg died on Monday, the team announced.

He was 65.

Sandberg died due to complications with cancer, something he was diagnosed with twice in 2024. He first revealed last January that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. Sandberg fended it off initially and said about eight months later that he was cancer-free.

In December, however, Sandberg announced that it had spread to other organs in his body. That led him to undergo “more intensive treatment.”

Sandberg spent nearly all of his career in the league with the Cubs. After a 13-game stint with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981, Sandberg then spent the next 15 seasons with the Cubs before he retired after the 1997 campaign. He made 10 straight All-Star appearances starting in 1984, which was the same year he won NL MVP honors while leading the league in both triples and runs scored.

Sandberg won seven Silver Slugger awards and nine Gold Gloves throughout his career. He led the NL with 40 home runs during the 1990 season, too, which is the same year he won the Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field.

Sandberg rarely missed time, either. He played in at least 115 games in all but one of his seasons with the Cubs, and he surpassed 150 games in all but four seasons. Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, and the cubs retired his number that year, too.

Last season, the Cubs officially unveiled a statue outside of Wrigley Field honoring Sandberg.

Sandberg, who the Phillies took in the 20th round of the 1978 MLB Draft, grew up in Spokane, Washington. After his playing career ended, Sandberg spent time coaching with both the Cubs and Phillies organizations before he took over as the Phillies manager in 2013. He spent three seasons with the team, but resigned during the 2015 campaign. He finished with a 119-159 record as a manager, and only completed one full season.

This post will be updated with more information shortly.