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HOUSTON (AP) — Tony DeFrancesco, manager of the Houston Astros' Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City, has cancer and will take a leave of absence to undergo treatment.
He was diagnosed earlier this month with the unspecified cancer. The team says it was detected early and he is expected to make a full recovery.
The 50-year-old DeFrancesco will undergo treatments for about five to six weeks at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Tom Lawless will serve as Oklahoma City's interim manager until his expected return in May.
DeFrancesco has managed the RedHawks since 2011 and led the team to a Pacific Coast league-leading 82-62 record last season. In 2012 he was the interim manager of the Astros for the last 41 games after manager Brad Mills was fired.
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