Guerrero hospitalized after stroke

Former World Series MVP Pedro Guerrero had a stroke last weekend and is recovering in a hospital in New York, according to his wife.

Roxanna Jimenez said her 60-year-old husband was taken to a hospital on Monday. She said doctors initially declared him brain dead but a second opinion confirmed he was comatose..

“It was his second massive stroke,” Jimenez said on Tuesday by phone from New York in an interview with a radio station in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“He’s recovering. The doctor said he can improve. He opened his eyes and is trying to communicate.”

Some of Guerrero’s former Dodgers teammates recalled he had overcome a previous stroke in recent years.

“He recovered from that, so God willing, he’ll recover from this,” said Steve Yeager, co-MVP of the 1981 World Series with Guerrero.

“He’s too young to have this happen to him.”

Orel Hershiser was called up to the Dodgers in 1983 to begin his Hall of Fame pitching career, and Guerrero played behind him. Hershiser saw Guerrero last year at an alumni game at Dodger Stadium.

Guerrero played 15 seasons in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals.

The slugger won the World with the Dodgers and played in five All-Star Games.