Stephen Piscotty is the newest recipient of the Hutch Award.
The right fielder was nominated for the prestigious award last month "in part for the courage and commitment he displayed when his mother, Gretchen, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)," the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center said in a press release.
Piscotty was traded to the A's in December of 2017 -- but this was more than a transaction, he wanted to be with his mother.
The Pleasanton native had an emotional homecoming as he switched his red uniform to green and gold.
"We're pretty emotionally tied to that organization," Piscotty said of the Cardinals in 2017. "It chokes me up a little bit. But family obviously comes first, and sometimes some things are more important than baseball. With this opportunity here, it's just a great combination of family and baseball. … A lot of good is going to come out of it."
Gretchen has since passed away, but Piscotty and his family continue to honor her memory by raising funds and awareness for ALS launching the ALS CURE Project fund research focused on a cure for the disease.
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"I'm humbled and honored to win this meaningful award with such a rich history," Piscotty said in the same release. "This is an example of how we, as big leaguers, can use our platforms to help the communities we live and play in. I'm a big believer in the power of science and research to tackle health problems and I credit Fred Hutch for their lifesaving work."
The prestigious Hutch Award is one of the longest-running awards in baseball and was created in 1965 in honor of Fred Hutchinson, a former Major League player and manager who died of cancer. He inspired the start of the Seattle-based cancer research center. The group of creators also started a scholarship fund for medical students engaged in cancer research to honor Hutch's memory.
"Stephen is a great player with many accomplishments on the field, but what makes him really special is how he's honoring his mother's legacy by raising awareness around a debilitating disease like ALS," said Dr. Gary Gilliland, president, and director, Fred Hutch. "We are grateful to Stephen, the Seattle Mariners and Major League Baseball for joining our team at the Hutch and supporting our mission to beat cancer."
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Piscotty was one of nine nominees of the 54th Hutch Award and will be honored during the annual award luncheon in Seattle on July 18 at T-Mobile Park.
A huge congratulations to Stephen Piscotty.
