Rockies' Chad Bettis: Declared cancer-free

Bettis (groin) said Wednesday that recent follow-up exams declared him cancer free, MLB.com's Thomas Harding reports.

Analysis:

Bettis underwent surgery in late November to address a cancerous testicle, and with doctors determining that the cancer didn't spread following the extraction, the right-hander will now be cleared to prepare for the 2017 season as he normally would. Though his training program was delayed by about a month following his diagnosis, Bettis should have plenty of time to work on regaining velocity and improving his conditioning until the onset of spring training. He'll still require blood work every three-to-six months to determine the cancer hasn't resurfaced, but it appears safe to pencil Bettis in for a rotation spot with the Rockies after he went 14-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 starts a season ago.