Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew is preparing to receive a new heart and undergo a kidney transplant.

His wife Rhonda confirmed the procedures on Thursday through the American Heart Association News.

The 71-year-old former Minnesota Twins star has struggled with heart issues since September 2015 when he had a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest while undergoing a procedure to open clogged arteries.

A machine has kept Carew alive since he nearly died 15 months ago. Doctors say the kidney transplant will improve his chances for a strong recovery.