San Diego Padres third-base coach Matt Williams will take a leave of absence from the team after they host the Colorado Rockies for Opening Day on Thursday.

Williams, 57, announced on Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will undergo surgery later this week.

“I don’t have any symptoms, I don’t have any issues, but at this point it’s important that we get it out of there,” Williams said.

The third-base coach’s medical scans have showed that the cancer has not yet spread, a sign that Williams should hopefully be able to make a full recovery.

Joining Will Clark and others, former first-round selection Williams was a major part of the 1989 San Francisco Giants World Series team. He finished his playing career twice cracking the top-three names for National League MVP voting, including a career-best 1994 season that saw him hit 43 homers. Williams was a five-time All-Star performer.

One of the best players in Giants history, he also played for the then-Cleveland Indians and Arizona Diamondbacks before seeing his career come to an end following the 2003 season. He finished out with 378 career home runs.

After his playing career was over, Williams served as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks before being hired as Washington Nationals manager from 2014-15. Last season was his first on staff with the Padres.

“I know in particular that he’s going to give this the fiercest effort of his life and he’s going to beat it,” Bob Melvin said about Williams’ looming battle with cancer.

In Williams’ stead, former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt will take over third-base coaching duties for a Padres team that enters the campaign with legitimate World Series expectations.