Dioner Navarro opens up about wife's stroke this off-season, his absence from baseball
Veteran catcher Dioner Navarro discussed his absence from baseball and his wife's health on the "Outta the Park" podcast with Barry Davis on Sunday.
Navarro's wife, Sherley, suffered a stroke in December and was in a coma for about three months but has been home for about 10 days, he said on the podcast.
"It's been devastating man, it's been crazy," Navarro said on the podcast. "I've been doing stuff that I never knew I was capable of doing — my wife was the one that always took care of the house, and I just worried about playing ball."
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The 13-year veteran played 101 games in 2016 for the White Sox and Blue Jays. Navarro is currently a free agent and said he has no plans to retire.
He told Davis that he knew his wife was sick throughout the 2016 season. Navarro said that when the White Sox traded him back to Toronto, where he played in 2014 and 2015, the team's family atmosphere helped him as he played amid his wife's health struggles. Sherley previously suffered a brain aneurysm in 2003.
Navarro said Sherley is doing well now.
"It's been hard. But I just try to keep my kids strong and keep moving forward, man, and stay positive," Navarro said. "We see the light at the end of the tunnel."
