After a pretty solid 2020 season, Robinson Cano has been suspended for the entire 2021 season due to testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug stanozolol per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The length of the suspension is on account of this being his second positive result which is an automatic penalization of 162 games.
His first suspension being in 2018, while he was on the Mariners, where he missed 80 games for the same reason. Cano was eventually sent to New York alongside Edwin Diaz in the Jarred Kelenic trade.
With the second baseman’s original contract being a 10 years, $240 million deal, now due to this discovery, Cano will lose $24 million that he was owed for the 2021 season. The Mariners were on the tab to pay $3.75 million of that salary, with the Mets set to take on $20.25 million. Now neither team will have to pay Cano this year.
What this means for the Mets going into 2021 beyond salary is still unsure as Jeff McNeil is perfectly capable of being the team’s everyday second baseman, but Steve Cohen may want to invest in some more infield depth going into next season.
According to Tim Britton of The Athletic, Sandy Alderson has expressed that he is “extremely disappointed” ” in regards to the new revelations, you can find Alderson’s full statement here.
We will keep you updated with more information on the fallout of Cano’s suspension as we get it.
