Cubs great Ryne Sandberg battling cancer

Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg revealed Monday that he is beginning treatment for metastatic prostate cancer.

The Hall of Fame second baseman spent 15 of his 16 major league seasons with the Cubs, along with 13 games at the start of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies (1981).

Sandberg, 64, said in an Instagram post that he was diagnosed last week. One of the photos in the post shows Sandberg standing and giving a thumbs-up gesture while hooked to a machine in a hospital room.

"I have begun treatment, and I am surrounded by my loving wife Margaret, our incredibly supportive family, the best medical care team and our dear friends," Sandberg wrote. "We will continue to be positive, strong and fight to beat this. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time for me and my family."

Sandberg was the 1984 National League MVP, when he batted a career-high .314 with a major league-leading 19 triples and 114 runs scored as well as 19 home runs, 84 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.

He also earned the second of his nine career Gold Glove awards that year. He was a 10-time All-Star selection and a seven-time Silver Slugger honoree, batting .285 with 282 home runs and 1,061 RBIs in his 2,164-game career.

Sandberg, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, also spent parts of three seasons (2013-15) as the Phillies' manager. The team went 119-159 in that stretch.