Robinson Cano’s Role In Question

The Mets remain on the hook for second baseman Robinson Cano’s contract through the 2023 season at $24 million each year. He turns 40 right around the time New York hopes to be playing for a World Series championship, late this October. Apologies for his off-the-field actions began the shortened spring training for the veteran. However, sorry won’t cut it if the former All-Star can’t help his team on the field. A sluggish start and other improving left-handed bats have put Robinson Cano’s role in question.

Batting fifth on Sunday and plugged into the DH spot, Cano went 1-for-4, stranding four runners on base. He is now staring at a .154 AVG and .368 OPS over his first 13 spring training at bats. The lefty swinger isn’t producing runs, either. He has just one RBI thus far, and in the bottom of the fifth on Sunday, Robinson grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the threat and the inning.

It isn’t only the slow start that has raised questions about Cano’s role on the team. Fellow left-handed-hitting bat in the competition for regular ABs, Dominic Smith, exploded out of the gate. Smith is 5-for-14, adding four walks and slugging .786 this spring and potentially earning the trust of Buck Showalter to be an everyday player.

MMO’s Andrew Steel-Davis covered Smith’s epic start on a  spring training revenge tour.

Smith capturing more DH at bats is a problem for Cano, but so are two LHB Mets with second base experience. Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme are among the spring team leaders in OBP at .353 and .467, respectively. Jeff McNeil, who has his questions, is likely the regular at second base—leaving Cano in a dog fight with Guillorme and Escobar to a lesser extent for McNeil’s rest day replacement.

Every lineup card that the 16-year big leaguer has appeared on this March had him batting fifth. Roster Resource agrees. They have Robinson Cano penciled into the fifth slot and predict he could receive nearly 500 plate appearances. However, a case is building to give these younger, more productive lefties more chances.

If you are searching for the bright side, in 156 career games as a Met, Cano sits at .275 with 23 home runs and a wRC+ of 109. Also, despite poor results this spring, the elder statesman of the lineup has an average exit velocity of 91.5mph off the bat. That number compares to the top MLB sluggers if he could continue that over an entire season.

Just seven spring training games remain for Showalter and company to arrange their lineup, and all eyes will be on Cano, especially if the struggles continue.