You can say Robinson Cano did the Mets a favor. The loss of Cano for the 2021 season is all in favor of the Mets with more money to spend on quality free agents. The possibilities are endless now that Cano is out of the equation.

But this is not about what is in store for the Mets under a new regime with Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson. Much more of that will come as they continue their search for the proper personnel that will guide this franchise.

Instead, this will be about Robinson Cano. Remember, Cano is still a person and one that is troubled because of his latest setback that has caused another suspension from the game and dependency on PED’s.

And it should not have gone this route because Robinson Cano was always talented. But for some reason, and we will never know, he was dependent on breaking protocols. He broke the rules and has become a failure with a tarnished reputation.

So this caught us all off guard. And there was this assumption that Robinson Cano was obeying the guidelines set forth with MLB and the players union. 

Though,there was one indication that something was wrong. You hoped that his past with PED’s was behind him. 

The recurring injuries were keeping Cano out of the lineup. His inconsistency at the plate was obvious, with some sparks in the late part of 2019, at times remembering his All-Star years with the Yankees and Mariners.

Even during this truncated 2020 season, Cano had some good at bats. He resembled Robinson Cano and was living up to expectations as a piece of the trade that delivered Edwin Diaz to the Mets. 

Though he was never a fan favorite and perhaps his roots with the Yankees had something to do with that.  

He was still Robinson Cano. And there was always that sign or two that the power and hit to the opposite field would be a difference in the Mets lineup to go along with his defense in the infield.

And over the years, watching and reporting, nobody did it better in New York across town in the Bronx.  I have known Cano from the first day he arrived in the Bronx with the Yankees. Then, he was that young and rising talent that MLB embraced. And his presence to market himself in the Latino community was always a gift. 

So on Wednesday, you can say Robinson Cano did the Mets a favor  and there is no reason to hear logic about his latest escapade and using another PED. 

All of the apologies and “I am sorry” will not change the situation.

But to his teammates, this has to be a disappointment. In that Mets clubhouse, I have seen the younger players gravitate to the veteran. They talked about the game, family, and how to make adjustments. He dressed in the front and near the locker that was occupied by the captain David Wright.

Thursday, I reached out to a few of Cano’s teammates and they were not willing to comment and that is understandable  But you can sense there was that shock and disappointment.

But there is this one distinct moment that I can always recall about Robinson Cano in that Mets clubhouse. And it revolves around family.

You witnessed the family man in that clubhouse. Many instances during the 2019 season, Cano would have his younger son by his side as we went about our business in the media scrum. The younger Cano, with a smile that stretched from one end of the clubhouse to the other and with his Dad. 

There was Cano, the evening of July 23, 2019. He had his first career three-home run game and drove in all five of the Mets runs against the Padres.

Cano, then faced the media. He was always one of the last to provide post game comments during his time at Citi Field. He believed that the swing had returned. He believed that Mets fans would come around and for sure after that game.

His son, as Cano put his hand over his head said quietly, “Poppa, yeah. One, two, three,” referring to the home run balls. 

Unfortunately that was the lone and highlight moment for Robinson Cano and his time with the Mets. I say time, because after this latest suspension, 3,000 hits won’t be on his resume. Neither will a Hall of Fame induction be in the plan.

And it is very unlikely the Mets have him in the plan. Perhaps the logistics of a contract will free Robinson Cano from the Mets. Perhaps, he will resurface but not with the Mets.

I will always remember those moments with his son. For sure, Robinson Cano was a family man and a role model to youngsters in the Latino communities of the Bronx, Seattle, and the vicinity of Citi Field.

But he is no longer a role model for the game of baseball. There will be no third chance. He is a risk and the skills will continue to decline if he returns to the field at 39-years of age.

Just a shame we had to continue the report and recurring nightmare of testing positive this time for Stanozolol, in violation of MLB’s performance enhancing drugs policy.

Rich Mancuso: Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso