Former World Series MVP Pedro Guerrero had a stroke 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 Monday. She said doctors initially declared him brain dead but a second opinion confirmed he was comatose. He was transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan.

“It was his second massive stroke,” Jimenez said Tuesday by phone from New York to the radio show “Grandes en los Deportes” 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. “He’s too young to have this happen to him.”

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

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“It seemed like he had softened a lot, he was a kinder, gentler spirit,” Hershiser said Tuesday. “It’s sad for me to hear about what’s going on now because it seemed like he was really contributing to everyone around him and the lives of everyone around him, bringing them a lot of happiness.”

Guerrero, a career .300 hitter, played 15 seasons in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. The slugger was the 1981 World Series co-MVP with the Dodgers and played in five All-Star Games.

BREWERS: The team placed Opening Day starter Junior Guerra on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right calf and recalled reliever Brent Suter from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Manager Craig Counsell said Guerra could be out six weeks with what he called a significant strain.

Guerra got hurt in a 7-5 loss to the Rockies on Monday while breaking out of the batter’s box after laying down a bunt in the third inning. The right-hander was on crutches after the game.

METS: Right-hander Seth Lugo has a partially torn ligament in his pitching elbow, but has not decided whether he will have Tommy John surgery.

Lugo had a platelet-rich plasma injection Tuesday and will not throw for about two weeks. New York said he will then start a throwing program, and the need for surgery will be determined based on how he feels after trying rehab.


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