In 2017, it seemed like a formality that Mariners’ second baseman Robinson Cano would waltz into Cooperstown, as he was accepting the All-Star Game MVP in the Fall Classic. It was the then-35 year olds eighth All-Star nod. He had spent years being a tremendous ambassador for the game. He had been successful and a winner in the biggest market in sports as a beloved member of the New York Yankee. He had won multiple Gold Gloves. He had been one of the best offensive players in the game for twelve years.

In May of 2018, he tested positive for furosemide, a water masking agent. The diuretic was believed to mask a PED and Cano stated that he had been prescribed it from his offseason doctor in the Dominican Republic, that he would never take a performance enhancing drug. Despite this, he’d be dealt to the Mets after 2018 as part of the Edwin Diaz deal. He had served an 80 game suspension

Robinson Cano, the man of the smoothest swing of this generation, is now 38. The lefty has hit to a .303/.352/.492 lifetime slashline. He’s driven in over 1300 runs, hit 334 homeruns, posted a 126 lifetime OPS+ and and a 68.9 BBRef WAR. In 2020, he bounced back with ten homeruns and a .316 BA. He has Hall of Fame numbers. The Mets need him, as the new ownership looks to build around this core. Yet, the Mets won’t have him.

He is signed through 2023, which will be his age 41 season. He’s at 2624 hits, so it’s likely that this suspension will cost him an opportunity at 3,000. He is forfeting his salary, which will open over $20M in payroll for the Mets.

It’s noted that the drug he tested positive for is stanozolol, the same drug he reportedly tried to mask in Seattle.

Cano is the fifth player to serve two PED suspensions in MLB history, including former teammate Alex Rodriguez.

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