Recently released Robinson Cano close to deal with San Diego Padres, reports say
Mets second baseman Robinson Cano drops a bunt single against Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin during the fifth inning at Nationals Park on April 7 in Washington. Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
WASHINGTON — Recently released ex-Met Robinson Cano was close to signing a major-league deal with the Padres on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Cano and his agent, former Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, have been clear this month that Cano intends to keep playing after the Mets cut him near the start of the month. His foray into free agency lasted only four days until word of his near-deal with San Diego leaked.
It is not clear if Cano still is a major-league-caliber hitter, but the Padres apparently intend to find out. San Diego entered play Thursday having received a .610 OPS from its designated hitters. That ranked 18th in the majors. Much of the Padres’ DH time has gone to former Yankee, Luke Voit, who has a .184/.349/.327 slash line.
Cano, 39, struggled in a part-time role with the Mets, his first action in the majors since 2020 (because he was suspended for all of 2021 after testing positive for steroids, his second violation of MLB’s PED policy). He hit .195 with a .233 OBP and .268 slugging percentage in 12 games.
The Mets designated Cano for assignment when rosters shrank from 28 to 26 on May 2, preferring to keep and give more regular at-bats to J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith. They released the former Yankee and Mariner on Sunday.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
