Indians outfielder Leonys Martin battling life-threatening bacterial infection

Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin is currently in the hospital battling a “life-threatening” bacterial infection that he contracted last week.

Martin initially became sick on Tuesday night, and missed the Indians’ game against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, when he was taken to the Cleveland Clinic.

Indians president Chris Antonetti addressed the organization about Martin’s status on Monday, telling reporters that Martin is currently in stable condition. While they are “optimistic that he’ll have a full recovery,” Martin’s progress is currently being measured in weeks instead of days — meaning he won’t likely be back on the field anytime soon.

“Leonys had a bacterial infection that entered his blood stream and when it entered his blood stream it produced toxins,” Antonetti told Cleveland.com. “Those toxins did damage to his internal organs and the functioning of those organs was compromised, and it was severe.

“Thankfully, he’s made a lot of progress in the last 24 to 36 hours and he’s regained a lot of the organ function. And so, we’re optimistic and he’s on a good path right now and we’re hopeful that he’ll have a full recovery.”

Antonetti said that doctors are still running tests to figure out exactly what infection Martin contracted, and to figure out how he became sick in the first place.

“We don’t know exactly how the bacteria entered his system,” Antonetti told Cleveland.com. “It’s not a communicable thing. It can’t be transferred from one person to the next, but the bacteria somehow entered his blood stream. We don’t yet know how.

“I’m not sure we will know how. But, once that bacteria entered the blood steam, it produced toxins that led to him getting really sick.”

Martin was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday, and the Indians recalled outfielder Greg Allen to take his place.

The 30-year-old is in his eighth season in the MLB after getting his start with the Texas Rangers in 2011. He was traded to the Indians on July 31 from the Detroit Tigers, where was batting .251 and hit nine home runs.

He has played in six games this season for the Indians, and has hit 5-for-15 with two home runs and four RBI.

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