Leonys Martin battling “life-threatening bacterial infection”

Leonys Martin, former Texas Rangers and current Cleveland Indians outfielder, is battling a “life threatening bacterial infection,” per Zack Meisel, who says the infection attacked his internal organs. Martin, who was placed on the disabled list a few days ago, has been in the hospital due to the infection, though Meisel says he is “in stable condition and is improving.”

This is a scary and strange episode for Leonys, who has already had more than his fair share of scary and strange episodes. Martin defected from Cuba and signed a 5 year, $15 million deal with the Rangers in 2011, but after leaving Cuba he was held for ransom in Mexico by people who were, essentially, his kidnappers.

Martin had a pair of very good seasons for the Rangers in 2013 and 2014, but struggled in 2015, was displaced by Delino DeShields, and ended up being traded, along with Anthony Bass, to the Seattle Mariners for Tom Wilhelmsen, Patrick Kivlehan and James Jones. Martin was with the Tigers earlier this year before being dealt to the Indians in late July.