Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire yells at Kirk Gibson in this photo from a June 2013 brawl between the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. (Associated Press photo)

Kirk Gibson revealed earlier today that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Gibson, whose 1988 Most Valuable Player award and World Series home run highlighted his three-year career with the Dodgers, released the following statement today through Fox Sports Detroit:

“I have faced many different obstacles in my life, and have always maintained a strong belief that no matter the circumstances, I could overcome those obstacles,” he said in a statement through the network. “While this diagnosis poses a new kind of challenge for me, I intend to stay true to my beliefs. With the support of my family and friends, I will meet this challenge with the same determination and unwavering intensity that I have displayed in all of my endeavors in life. I look forward to being back at the ballpark as soon as possible.”

Gibson was fired as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ manager last season and had since been hired as a color analyst for Detroit Tigers games.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly expressed his sympathy for Gibson prior to Tuesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants.

“I just heard a little about it,” Mattingly said. “Obviously saddened to see that. The guys’ been a huge competitor. I competed against him from the field to across the field, and always had a ton of respect for the way he approached the game and the way he played, the way his teams played. Now he’s a guy that you think about a lot from the standpoint that I hope that same fight is going to be probably this.”

According to the Mayo Clinic website, Parkinson’s is an incurable “progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects your movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while a tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson’s disease, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.”