mets designate cano for assignment

Mets 'make the baseball decision' to DFA Robinson Canó

Anthony DiComo

NEW YORK -- As the Mets mulled Robinson Canó ’s future over the weekend, general manager Billy Eppler gathered all the necessary info and relayed it to team owner Steve Cohen.

Eppler told Cohen that his baseball operations department believed the best course of action would be to designate the slumping Canó for assignment. Eppler also told Cohen that doing so would mean eating the roughly $37.5 million remaining on Canó’s contract. Cohen would need to pay those dollars one way or the other.

Cohen absorbed the information, then told his GM: “Make the baseball decision.”

It may seem like a simple concept, but it’s one that egos and economics often prevent from happening. Time and again, teams around baseball hang onto aging stars because of the money owed them. The Mets have been guilty on plenty of occasions.

But Cohen’s Mets are something different, in part because their owner is worth a reported $17 billion. Cohen’s Mets simply want to win.

On Monday, that meant jettisoning Canó so that they could keep Dominic Smith, Luis Guillorme. J.D. Davis and Travis Jankowski on their roster. Canó was batting just .195/.233/.268 in 43 plate appearances. The Mets also optioned reliever Yoan López to Triple-A Syracuse to comply with MLB’s leaguewide roster size reduction from 28 to 26 players.

“You couldn’t ask for a better support than Steve’s given us,” manager Buck Showalter said. “You can tell how much he loves the Mets and the fans. He trusts the decisions being made.”

That doesn’t mean this decision was easy. For Eppler, who first met Canó when both worked for the Yankees in the mid-2000s, the decision was an emotional one -- for reasons completely unrelated to money. For other Mets players, the news was difficult to stomach. For all his baggage, for all of his struggles, Canó remained a well-liked figure within the clubhouse walls.

Shortly after Eppler and Showalter told Canó that they would designate him for assignment late Sunday evening, the clubhouse took on a funereal tone.

“Especially Robbie Canó -- he’s been around for so long in this game,” Davis said. “He’s been an icon here in New York. And he’s been a centerpiece in this clubhouse. He’s been a leader. To lose him definitely takes a little bit of wind out of our sails."

Canó came to the Mets along with closer Edwin Díaz in a Dec. 2018 trade -- the first significant transaction of Brodie Van Wagenen’s tenure as general manager. Given Canó’s advanced age at the time -- he was entering his age-36 season -- the deal was met with significant skepticism. It became even less popular as Canó struggled in 2019 and, two years later, he received a full-season suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Still, Canó’s inclusion on the Mets’ Opening Day roster was never in doubt, in part because MLB rules stipulated that teams could carry 28 players for the month of April. The deadline to slim rosters to 26 was noon ET on Monday, forcing the team’s decision. The club could have optioned Smith, Guillorme or Davis to the Minors, giving it more time to evaluate Canó. Instead, the Mets chose to designate Canó for assignment and eat the majority of the $40.5 million they owe him through 2023.

So ended the rocky tenure of Canó, who was on a Hall of Fame arc before testing positive for PEDs a first time with the Mariners in 2018. A second positive test with the Mets likely destroyed any remaining chance Canó might have had to enter Cooperstown, despite his career .302/.352/.490 slash line with 335 homers, 571 doubles and 1,305 RBIs.

Canó remains best-known for his nine seasons with the Yankees, which included five All-Star appearances and a World Series title in 2009.

The Mets technically have seven days to trade Canó or place him on outright waivers, and Eppler said he would do everything possible to accommodate the aging star -- possibly a trade, but otherwise a chance to play in the Minors or to receive his release.

Given Canó’s salary, desire for playing time and popularity throughout the game, a release is the most likely outcome. At that point, any team could sign Canó for the MLB minimum, with the Mets paying off the rest of his salary.

“I’m sure he’s somebody that five years, 10 years from now, I’m going to run into him on the island, or run into him in Florida or New York or somewhere, and we’ll share in some good memories together,” Eppler said. “But last night wasn’t one of them.”

New York Mets designate struggling Robinson Cano for assignment

NEW YORK -- The Mets have designated struggling infielder Robinson Cano for assignment.

Cano, 39, is owed $44,703,297 by the Mets from the remainder of the $240 million, 10-year contract he signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2013. Through 43 plate appearances this season, he is hitting just .195 with one home run, three RBIs and a .501 OPS. He has appeared in 12 of 23 games, starting six at second base and five at designated hitter.

Mets general manager Billy Eppler -- who has known Cano dating back to their times with the New York Yankees -- said the conversation with the infielder was one of the most difficult of his entire career.

"We had to make some difficult decisions and ultimately it came to the point where it was Robbie," Eppler said. "We just weren't going to have the plate appearances."

All MLB teams had to reduce their rosters by two players, to 26, by Monday. The Mets also optioned right-hander Yoan Lopez to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday night as one of those moves. Relegated to a part-time role this season, Cano was a casualty of the crunch as the first-place Mets chose to keep younger, more versatile bench players instead.

Cano received the news from Eppler in Mets manager Buck Showalter's office after Sunday night's game. Eppler said the conversations around how the Mets needed to address their roster crunch started early last week, and the move to let go of Cano was brought up by Eppler to team president Sandy Alderson and team owners Steve and Alex Cohen by Sunday evening.

"It was emotional for all of us," Showalter said. "You can expect him to get another opportunity and it wouldn't surprise anybody for him to contribute to another club."

The decision to jettison Cano was still a complicated one for the Mets -- and not only because of all the money he's owed, but because of his status as a popular veteran in the clubhouse, always happy to share his baseball wisdom. Cano and several teammates said they were confident he would produce at the plate if given the opportunity and with the writing on the wall, star shortstop Francisco Lindor said Sunday he wouldn't be happy if Cano was cut.

"He's been around for so long in this game and he's an icon here in New York," Mets utility man J.D. Davis said. "He's been a centerpiece in this clubhouse, been a leader. To lose him, it definitely takes a little bit of wind out of our sails."

New York has seven days to trade or release Cano, or send him outright to the minors -- an assignment he would have the right to refuse because he has at least three years of major league service.

Eppler said he was given the green light by the Cohens to make a purely baseball move and not think about the financial implications of letting go of Cano, despite his massive salary.

"Steve is very committed to winning and when I talked to Steve or when I talked to Alex Cohen, it's do what's best for the team, for the roster and present them with facts and options," Eppler said. "It makes the job pretty fulfilling to be able to display everything in their direction that we can do, but they want to know what's best for the club."

"You know, he owns our club and he's the one that made the commitment to take the club and buy the club and always, it's his prerogative to do whatever he wants," Showalter said. "Everything with Steve has been about baseball and what's best for the team and the fans and the organization, not just this decision but every turn we've taken."

The Mets acquired Cano from the Mariners in 2018, in a trade that also brought closer Edwin Diaz to New York. The Mets surrendered prized outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic as part of the package sent to Seattle.

In three seasons with the Mets, Cano hit .269 with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs. He was suspended for the 2021 season after violating MLB's policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

An eight-time All-Star, Cano has a career average of .302 with 335 home runs and 1,305 RBIs in 17 seasons. He has 2,632 career hits, third most among active players.

Cano's agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, who was the Mets' general manager at the time of the blockbuster trade, told the New York Post that his client "absolutely still wants to play."

"Given the right situation, he can still make a meaningful contribution for a team," he told the newspaper.

Van Wagenen added that Cano has a "great deal of respect" for the Mets and "understands they had a tough decision to make. He wishes them well going forward."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mets' Robinson Canó designated for assignment with nearly two years left on massive contract

The mets still owe canó $20.25 million this season and next.

On Monday, MLB clubs must cut their rosters from 28 players down to 26 players, and one big name has lost his roster spot: Robinson Canó . The New York Mets announced Monday that Canó has been designated for assignment. New York could have sent JD Davis , Luis Guillorme , or Dominic Smith to Triple-A to trim their roster, but instead they cut ties with Canó.

"I wouldn't be happy. I don't want to see that happen,"  Francisco Lindor  told reporters,  including Mike Puma of   the New York Post , about Canó possibly being released on Sunday. "He's a good teammate, a good person and obviously he's got a great track record and we all know what he's capable of doing ... I don't care how old he is, the mind is still fresh and he can still hit."     

Canó, 39, is 8 for 41 (.195) with one home run in 12 games this season. He missed the entire 2021 season while serving a 162-game performance-enhancing drug suspension, the second PED suspension of his career. During the shortened 2020 season Canó authored a .316/.352/.544 batting line with 10 home runs in 49 games.

Acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the Dec. 2018 trade that brought Edwin Díaz to New York and sent Jarred Kelenic (and others) to Seattle, Canó produced a .269/.315/.450 line with the Mets while playing only 169 of 407 possible regular-season games, or 41 percent. That trade was made by former GM Brodie Van Wagenen under former owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon.

New owner Steve Cohen is baseball's wealthiest owner, with a net worth in the $15 billion range, and he has not been shy about spending money on his team. He gave Max Scherzer a record three-year, $130 million contract over the winter and signed several other free agents as well. Now Cohen is using his money to rid the team of an expensive roster headache.

The Mets now have seven days to trade, release, or waive Canó. They owe him $20.25 million in salary this season and next (the Mariners owe him $3.75 million each year as well) and they are still responsible for that money. Given the money involved, Canó will undoubtedly clear waivers and be released. Any team that claims him would assume his entire contract.

Once he is released, any team could sign Canó for the pro-rated portion of the $700,000 league minimum. Several clubs could use help at DH ( Texas Rangers , Cincinnati Reds , etc.), though it is certainly possible Canó has played his final MLB game. In that case, he will leave baseball as a career .302/.352/.490 hitter with 2,632 hits and 335 home runs in parts of 17 seasons.

Those numbers, as well as Canó's career 69.1 WAR, more than clear the Hall of Fame bar for second baseman. There is almost no chance Canó is voted into Cooperstown given his two PED suspensions, however.

The Mets come into Monday with the National League's best record at 16-7. Releasing Canó means Jeff McNeil is locked in as the starting second baseman, and Davis and Smith will see increased time at DH.

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Mets designate Robinson Cano for assignment

By eric mullin • published may 2, 2022 • updated on may 2, 2022 at 11:45 am.

With MLB rosters shrinking from 28 to 26 players on Monday, the New York Mets cut ties with a big-name player.

The Mets designated eight-time All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano for assignment.

RHP Yoan López has been optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game and today infielder Robinson Canó has been designated for assignment, bringing the roster to 26 players. — New York Mets (@Mets) May 2, 2022

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The 39-year-old had gotten off to a rough start to the 2022 season, hitting just .195/.233/.268 with one home run and three RBIs in 43 plate appearances for the first-place Mets. He was making his return to the field this season after missing all of 2021 due to a second PED suspension.

Cano, who's under contract through 2023, is owed $24 million this year and the next. The Seattle Mariners, who dealt Cano to New York in 2018, are on the hook for $3.75 million each season.

Cano is the closest active player to 3,000 hits with 2,632.

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Mets designate Robinson Cano for assignment amid roster cuts

NEW YORK — In their first major roster decision of the season, Mets management has made it clear that it is going to prioritize what's best for the team over financial obligations.

With that in mind, the Robinson Cano era in Flushing has likely drawn to a close. 

As MLB rosters had to be trimmed to 26 players by Monday, Cano was one of the odd men out as the Mets designated him for assignment and optioned reliever Yoan Lopez to Class AAA Syracuse.

"Given the construction of the roster and how the playing time was going to be allocated, it put us in a position where we had to make some difficult decisions," Mets general manager Billy Eppler said. "Ultimately it came to the point where it was Robbie because we just weren’t going to have the plate appearances as we want to allocate them around and utilize the whole bench. It was just going to be a little irregular."

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It was a difficult call for the Mets, who entered the season owing the 39-year-old infielder around $40.5 million between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, in 12 games, Cano is batting .195 with an on-base percentage of .233 and one home run, three runs and three RBI, drawing the ire of fans at Citi Field.

The decision

Eppler said he had a few discussions with owners Steve and Alex Cohen last week and before Sunday's game. Eppler and Buck Showalter informed the eight-time All-Star of the decision after Sunday night's win against the Phillies.

"Steve is very committed to winning," Eppler said. "When I talk to Steve or when I talk to Alex, it’s always, ‘Do what’s best for the team and the roster.’ I present them facts and options. In a way, it makes the job pretty fulfilling to be able to run everything in their direction that we can do."

The Mets could have optioned Dominic Smith, J.D. Davis or Luis Guillorme or designated Travis Jankowski for assignment. But each of those players has filled a unique productive role in the team's strong 16-7 start entering Monday's game.

The left-handed hitting Smith, who went 4-for-4 on Sunday, can play either first base or the outfield. Davis provides a power bat from the right side and a third-base replacement, while Guillorme is one of the few bench players comfortable at shortstop.

Jankowski has been a reliable outfield replacement and strong asset with his speed.

"The proof will be in the pudding, right. It’s tough," Showalter said. "Robbie is a talented hitter and so are some of the other guys that it might’ve affected. We’ve got some guys coming. I’m very proud of our farm system and the people that are coming. This is a decision that goes a lot deeper than just the 26 here.

"You always have to say, ‘What if?’ Where’s your next line on the fence in a sport that you play seven days a week for seven or eight months."

The move signals the end of Cano's turbulent time with the Mets.

The team acquired Cano and closer Edwin Diaz in a trade that sent top prospect Jarred Kelenic and four other players to the Mariners in December 2018. In his first season with the Mets in 2019, Cano slashed .256/.307/.428 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI and 46 runs in 107 games.

"He would constantly remind us that baseball is a game of failure," Davis said. "The best in the game when they get inducted in the Hall of Fame, they fail 68 to 70 percent of the time. Sometimes we can lose sight of that.

"He always reminded us how hitting was extremely hard and we needed to work hard every single day and we didn't need to have an easy day, we needed to keep working hard."

Eppler had to check his emotions when making the decision. He joined the Yankees front office as assistant director of baseball operations in 2004, one season before Cano would make his Yankees debut. They were also with the team when they won the World Series in 2009.

But based on how the Mets wanted to split their plate appearances and construction of the roster, Eppler knew it was a call that needed to be made.

"I told him I’ll do whatever I can to help that in any way, shape or form that we can," Eppler said. "I can talk to other clubs and I know his representation can talk to other teams too to see if there’s a landing spot for him. If there’s not, then I will welcome him back here in a different capacity too if he wants that."

Mets Part Ways With Robinson Cano

Robinson cano was one of the game's great stars during his stint with the yankees, but doping suspensions later marred his career, published may 2, 2022 • updated on may 2, 2022 at 1:52 pm.

The New York Mets designated infielder Robinson Cano for assignment on Monday, parting ways with a former All-Star whose career has been tainted by performance-enhancing drugs.

Canó was cut with nearly $45 million remaining on his contract.

There had been speculation the Mets might let Cano go Monday, given MLB's deadline to reduce rosters to 26 players. Relegated to a part-time role this season, Canó was a casualty of the crunch as the first-place Mets chose to keep younger, more versatile bench players instead.

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RHP Yoan López has been optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game and today infielder Robinson Canó has been designated for assignment, bringing the roster to 26 players. — New York Mets (@Mets) May 2, 2022

The Mets acquired Cano from Seattle in late 2018, following his first suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. His first season at Citi Field in 2019 was shortened by injuries, though he rebounded in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Cano then missed the entire 2021 season after a second doping suspension.

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In his comeback this year, he has played sparingly, appearing in 12 of 23 games with just eight hits and one home run -- but 11 strikeouts. The 39-year-old is batting .195 (8 for 41) with one home run, three RBIs and a paltry .501 OPS in 43 plate appearances.

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Since entering the big leagues in 2005, Cano racked up a laundry list of awards, including eight All-Star Game appearances, two Gold Gloves, five Silver Slugger awards and a Home Run Derby victory.

But almost all of those honors came during his stint with the Yankees, before Cano signed with Seattle in 2014.

Canó has a .302 career batting average with 335 home runs, 1,305 RBIs and an .842 OPS. He has 2,632 hits, including 571 doubles.

Canó is owed $44,703,297 by the Mets from the remainder of the $240 million, 10-year contract he signed with Seattle. He has lost $36,258,065 because of the two drug suspensions.

New York has seven days to trade or release Canó, or send him outright to the minors — an assignment he would have the right to refuse because he has at least three years of major league service.

Because of his hefty salary, it’s highly unlikely another team would claim him on waivers. A club that did would be responsible for his full salary. But if he is released by the Mets, a team could sign him for a prorated share of the $700,000 minimum this season and also pay the $710,000 minimum in 2023.

Seattle remains responsible for a final $3.75 million payment to the Mets this Dec. 1, part of $20 million the Mariners agreed to pay New York at the time they sent Canó to the Mets as part of a polarizing trade in December 2018.

In addition to cutting Canó, the Mets optioned right-handed reliever Yoan López to Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Monday night’s series opener against the World Series champion Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.

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What Designating Robinson Cano For Assignment Signals For Mets

• Author: Pat Ragazzo

In this story:

NEW YORK -- The Mets designated Robinson Cano for assignment when rosters cut down from 28 to 26 players on Monday.

While it was evident that Cano's skills had declined, the team still owed him $39.6 million across this season and next, which made it difficult to envision them eating this money after just 23 games.

But the Mets have an owner with deep pockets in billionaire Steve Cohen, who is committed to winning. So when it came down to choosing between Cano, Dominic Smith, Luis Guillorme, J.D. Davis or Travis Jankowski, general manager Billy Eppler was given the flexibility to make the best baseball move, regardless of the financial implications. 

“I walked through the transaction with Sandy (Alderson) and then ultimately with Steve (Cohen), and as we were kind of talking through the weekend and then yesterday a little bit before the game, I wanted to make sure everyone was understanding of what the impact was," Eppler said prior to the Mets' series opener with the Atlanta Braves on Monday. 

“I passed along to him (Cohen) the recommendations of the baseball group and front office staff. I walked through some details with him (Cohen) and he said ‘make the baseball decision.'"

The Mets have a blueprint for how they want to deploy the position players on their roster this season - and Cano was no longer a part of this plan. 

“Given the construction of our roster and how the playing time was going to be allocated it put us in a position where we had to make some difficult decisions,” Eppler said. "We weren’t going to have the plate appearances (for Cano) as we want to allocate them around and utilize the whole bench.”

New York is off to a strong 16-8 start to the season, and with the backing of Cohen, the team has very minimal restrictions when it comes to spending money. In this case, it was eating $37.6 million in order to keep Smith, Davis, Guillorme and Jankowski on the roster, who have all proven to be significantly more valuable than Cano this year.

Coming off a year-long suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, Cano got off to an abysmal start at the plate, slashing .195/.233/.268 with a .501 OPS, one home run and three RBIs across 41 at-bats. While the 39-year-old brought veteran leadership to the team, and was well-liked in the clubhouse, his role had been minimized to serving as a part-time DH and second baseman. 

"It was emotional for all of us...but [we'll be able] to get some people in the mix more consistently that we think are deserving," manager Buck Showalter said prior to the Mets' 3-2 series opener loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

Despite Cano's hefty price tag, the Mets are all-in on carrying the best 26 players on their active roster. As Cohen has said in the past, he will do whatever it takes to win. This latest move backs those words up. 

-  Mets Manager Buck Showalter Receives One-Game Suspension

- Mets Designate Robinson Cano For Assignment

- Dominic Smith's Four-Hit Night Helps Mets Win Seventh Consecutive Series To Begin Season

Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter ( @ragazzoreport ), be sure to bookmark Inside The Mets and check back daily for news, analysis and more.

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Mets designate Robinson Cano for assignment, still owe him $37M

The New York Mets announced on Monday that veteran second baseman Robinson Cano has been designated for assignment, removing him from the team's 40-man roster and effectively ending his time with the Mets.

RHP Yoan López has been optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game and today infielder Robinson Canó has been designated for assignment, bringing the roster to 26 players. — New York Mets (@Mets) May 2, 2022

All MLB teams were required to trim their roster from 28 to 26 players by Monday, and Cano's DFA, along with pitcher Yoan Lopez being optioned to Triple-A, got the Mets to 26 players.

Cano, 39, has not been doing well with the Mets. Over 12 games and 43 plate appearances, he's hit .195/.233/.268 with one home run. While it's only 12 games, the Mets are a supernova right now (they've won all seven series they've played since opening day and have the best record in the National League). With the team on such a tear, they don't have the time (or possibly the desire) to see if Cano will find his swing and improve his timing. Despite owing Cano around $37 million for his 2022 and 2023 salary, the Mets — and owner Steve Cohen's extremely fat wallet — decided to move on.

Cano's time with Mets complicated by suspension

Cano's rustiness isn't just due to the extended lockout during the offseason, which bled into spring training and subsequently delayed the start of the regular season. He was suspended for the entire 2021 season after testing positive for Stanozolol, a drug that's banned by MLB under its performance-enhancing drug policy. Cano actually had a previous suspension on his record, as he missed 80 games in 2018 after testing positive for the banned drug Furosemide.

The Mets, of course, didn't anticipate that Cano would test positive a second time when they traded for him before the 2019 season — though he did come with high expectations and a similarly high price tag. Cano signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners in 2013, and the trade meant the Mets were on the hook for the remainder of that deal. But the Mets likely figured Cano would be worth it, since he'd hit .296/.353/.472 with 107 home runs in five seasons with the Mariners, which was pretty close to how he'd performed in his heyday with the New York Yankees .

It didn't quite work out that way. He hit a mediocre .256 with 13 home runs in 2019, the only full 162-game season he'd spend with the Mets. He bounced back in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, hitting over .300 in 49 games, but that wasn't enough to earn Cano more time to right the ship after his 2021 suspension.

It's not clear what Cano will do next. He'll have to ask the Mets for his release (unless a team puts in a claim for him, which is highly unlikely), and then he's free to sign with other teams. His days as a starter are over, but Cano could find a home on a team that needs a veteran presence, as long as he's willing to fill a bench role.

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Robinson Cano designated for assignment, bringing Mets' roster down to 26 players

NEW YORK — In their first major roster decision of the season, Mets management has made it clear that it is going to prioritize what's best for the team over financial obligations.

With that in mind, the Robinson Cano era in Flushing has likely drawn to a close. 

As MLB rosters had to be trimmed to 26 players by Monday, Cano was one of the odd men out as the Mets designated him for assignment and optioned reliever Yoan Lopez to Triple-A Syracuse.

"Given the construction of the roster and how the playing time was going to be allocated, it put us in a position where we had to make some difficult decisions," Mets general manager Billy Eppler said. "Ultimately it came to the point where it was Robbie because we just weren’t going to have the plate appearances as we want to allocate them around and utilize the whole bench. It was just going to be a little irregular."

It was a difficult call for the Mets, who entered the season owing the 39-year-old infielder around $40.5 million between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, in 12 games, Cano is batting .195 with an on-base percentage of .233 and one home run, three runs and three RBI, drawing the ire of fans at Citi Field.

The decision

Eppler said he had a few discussions with owners Steve and Alex Cohen last week and before Sunday's game. Eppler and Buck Showalter informed the eight-time All-Star of the decision following Sunday night's win over the Phillies.

"Steve is very committed to winning," Eppler said. "When I talk to Steve or when I talk to Alex, it’s always, ‘Do what’s best for the team and the roster.’ I present them facts and options. In a way, it makes the job pretty fulfilling to be able to run everything in their direction that we can do."

The Mets could have optioned Dominic Smith, J.D. Davis or Luis Guillorme or designated Travis Jankowski for assignment. But each of those players has filled a unique productive role in the team's strong 16-7 start entering Monday's game.

The left-handed hitting Smith, who went 4-for-4 on Sunday, can play either first base or the outfield. Davis provides a power bat from the right side and a third-base replacement, while Guillorme is one of the few bench players comfortable at shortstop.

Jankowski has been a reliable outfield replacement and strong asset with his speed.

"The proof will be in the pudding, right. It’s tough," Showalter said. "Robbie is a talented hitter and so are some of the other guys that it might’ve affected. We’ve got some guys coming. I’m very proud of our farm system and the people that are coming. This is a decision that goes a lot deeper than just the 26 here.

"You always have to say, ‘What if?’ Where’s your next line on the fence in a sport that you play seven days a week for seven or eight months."

The move signals the end of Cano's turbulent time with the Mets.

The team acquired Cano and closer Edwin Diaz in a trade that sent top prospect Jarred Kelenic and four other players to the Mariners in December 2018. In his first season with the Mets in 2019, Cano slashed .256/.307/.428 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI and 46 runs in 107 games.

During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Cano took a step up and posted marks of .316/.352/.544 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI and 23 runs, but he missed all of 2021 after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs for the second time in his career.

Still, Cano remained a popular figure inside the clubhouse who was always willing to take the younger players under his wing and provide a deeper understanding of the game.

"He would constantly remind us that baseball is a game of failure," Davis said "The best in the game when they get inducted in the Hall of Fame, they fail 68 to 70 percent of the time. Sometimes we can lose sight of that.

"He always reminded us how hitting was extremely hard and we needed to work hard every single day and we didn't need to have an easy day, we needed to keep working hard."

Eppler had to check his emotions when making the decision. He joined the Yankees front office as assistant director of baseball operations in 2004, one season before Cano would make his Yankees debut. They were also with the team when they won the World Series in 2009.

But based on how the Mets wanted to split their plate appearances and construction of the roster, Eppler knew it was a call that needed to be made.

"I told him I’ll do whatever I can to help in any way, shape or form that we can," Eppler said. "I can talk to other clubs and I know his representation can talk to other teams too to see if there’s a landing spot for him. If there’s not, then I will welcome him back here in a different capacity too if he wants that."

Andrew Tredinnick is the Mets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Mets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app. 

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @andrew_tred

Looking back at the Robinson Cano trade now that he’s been designated for assignment by the Mets

HOUSTON — The news out of New York wasn’t surprising considering his lack of production thus far this season and the lack of availability due to suspension last season.

Still, it was a bit jarring, perhaps due to name recognition and association to the Mariners, to see a flurry of tweets from Mets media Monday morning, all with a similar topic: Robinson Cano has been designated for assignment.

With teams forced to trim their active rosters down from 28 to 26, the Mets decided to move on from Cano despite owing him $37.5 million on his 10-year, $240 million contract, which was originally signed with the Mariners.

Cano, 39, had played in 12 games for the Mets — seven at second base and five at designated hitter — posting a .195/.233/.268 slash line with a homer and three RBI. He missed the entire 2021 season while serving a 100-game suspension for violating the MLB-MLBPA joint drug agreement for a second time.

Given his age and money remaining on his contract, no team will trade for him or claim him off waivers and take on that commitment. Once he clears waivers, Cano will opt for free agency.

Regardless of what becomes of outfielder Jarred Kelenic, the trade engineered by Jerry Dipoto that sent Cano to the Mets, along with reliever Edwin Diaz, will likely remain one of his best simply for getting out from under the 10-year, $240 million commitment to Cano when his value and reputation were dwindling.

It was a serendipitous development for Dipoto and the Mariners when Cano’s former agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, became the Mets GM after the 2018 season. Dipoto, who was in the process of starting the Mariners’ “step back” rebuild, contacted Van Wagenen immediately about Cano going back to New York and dangled Diaz, who was coming off a 57-save season, as the value in the deal.

On Dec. 3, 2018, almost six years to the day he signed with Seattle, Cano was traded to the Mets as part of a massive and stunning seven-player deal after five drawn-out days of trade speculation.

The Mariners sent Cano, Diaz and $20 million in cash to the Mets in exchange for five players: Kelenic, who was a top prospect at the time, veteran outfielder Jay Bruce and right-handed pitchers Anthony Swarzak, Gerson Bautista and Justin Dunn.

Had it not been for the massive amount of media leaks from the Mets about the trade in the days leading up to it, sparking an outcry from Mets fans, sources have said on multiple occasions the Mariners would’ve paid $25-30 million in cash but received versatile hitter Jeff McNeill instead of Bautista. When McNeill was replaced by Bautista, the Mariners’ cash requirement was reduced.

Seattle still owes $7.5 million on the Cano contract but paid slightly less than the $20 million due to his suspension.

Over five seasons, Cano posted a .296/.353/.472 slash line in 704 games with Seattle, hitting 107 homers and driving in 411 runs. He accumulated 21.4 wins above replacement per Fangraphs. He made the All-Star team three times.

While moving on from Cano was a coup for Dipoto, the trade that appeared so lopsided in the Mariners’ favor in terms of on-field production has yet to reach that potential.

Kelenic, 22, has yet to blossom into the All-Star level player that scouts expected or even an established MLB player. In 114 MLB games over the past two seasons, he has produced a -0.3 WAR with a .175/.257/.342 slash line.

The other four players the Mariners received are no longer in the organization.

Bruce was traded a few months into the 2019 season to the Phillies. Seattle received third baseman Jake Scheiner, who is now playing for Class AA Arkansas.

Dunn was traded to the Reds in March along with prospect Brandon Williamson and outfielder Jake Fraley for outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suarez. Dunn made his MLB debut at the end of the 2019 season and was in the opening day rotation for the shortened 2020 season, providing mixed results. A shoulder issue sidelined him for much of 2021.  

Bautista had a 100-mph fastball that was somehow very hittable. He bounced between the big league team and Class AAA Tacoma, never finding success. He was released in 2021 and is currently pitching in the Mexican League.

As for Cano, it has been a stunning decline in terms of production and reputation.

Once on track toward Hall of Fame consideration as one of the most gifted second basemen, he was suspended twice for violating the MLB-MLBPA joint drug agreement, testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

The Mariners shocked the baseball world in December 2013 when they signed Cano, who was 31 at the time, to a 10-year, $240 million contract. It was an effort to bring legitimacy to a team that had Felix Hernandez, Kyle Seager, Hisashi Iwakuma and a touted farm system.

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One of the biggest free agents on the market, Cano was expected to re-sign with the Yankees and continue a Hall of Fame path with the team that signed and developed him. But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman refused to give in to the salary demands of Cano and Van Wagenen. The Yankees had reportedly capped their offer at seven years, $175 million.

The Mariners swooped in with an offer that was above market value and well above what anyone else was offering.

The Cano signing was supposed to signal a change in direction for the Mariners and bring a level of credibility to the organization as well as some much-needed production to a stagnant offense. He played in 157 games, posting a .314/.382/.454 slash line with 37 doubles, two triples, 14 homers and 82 RBI while dealing with an intestinal parasite in the final months of the season. The 2014 team was in postseason contention until midway through the final game of the regular season before being eliminated.

But that was as close to the postseason as Seattle came with Cano, who was an All-Star in 2014, 2016 and 2017. After undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia after a disappointing 2015 season, Cano put up a monster 2016 season. He had a .298/.350/.533 slash line with 33 doubles, 39 homers, 103 RBI in 161 games.

The relationship with the Mariners fell apart during the 2018 season when he was suspended for 80 games because of a positive test for a diuretic — Furosemide — that’s often used as a masking agent for performance-enhancing drug use.

Per the joint drug testing agreement, a player isn’t automatically suspended when testing positive for a diuretic. The player is retested, and an independent investigator determines whether the diuretic was used to avoid detection of a banned substance. If so, it is treated as a positive test result.

The independent investigator determined that Cano used the diuretic as a masking agent. A similar investigation by MLB yielded the same ruling.

The positive test had actually occurred in the offseason , and Cano had appealed the decision but didn’t tell teammates or the Mariners. When he suffered a fractured hand after getting hit by a pitch May 14 and was expected to miss two months, he dropped his appeal and served the suspension.

It stunned and frustrated teammates. His return after 80 games didn’t go as planned as the Mariners, who were already fading from the postseason race, shuffled positions and responsibilities around to fit him back into the lineup.  

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.

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Mets designate Robinson Canó for assignment

The Mets cut the former Yankee and his hefty contract as the rosters decrease to 26.

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With today’s noon deadline for constricting the active rosters to 26 from 28 players approaching, the Mets announced that they have designated Robinson Canó for assignment, along with optioning Yoan López to Triple-A Syracuse.

RHP Yoan López has been optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game and today infielder Robinson Canó has been designated for assignment, bringing the roster to 26 players. — New York Mets (@Mets) May 2, 2022

Canó, who missed all of the 2021 season on a second suspension for using Performance Enhancing Drugs, has struggled mightily in the 2022 season thus far, hitting .195/.233/.268 with just one extra base hit in 43 plate appearances. Canó was in the penultimate season of a ten year, $240 million contract. The Mets must pay the final two years of the contract, worth $48 million, despite cutting the former All-Star.

Our Michael Drago argued that this was the correct move for the team to make last week , and last night’s breakout performance by Dominic Smith seemed like a timely reminder of the upside of both Smith and J.D. Davis over Canó. However, the hefty contract and the desire to get something out of that sunk cost seemed likely to pave the path for Canó at least getting a longer leash before release. However, this is a good reminder that, under Steve Cohen’s ownership, the team is no longer as handcuffed by poor decisions made in the past. While the Mets, yes, will not be getting anything on the field for Canó’s salary, they also do not have to keep an unproductive player simply due to his paycheck anymore.

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The New York Mets designated veteran infielder Robinson Cano for assignment on Monday, still owing him close to $40 million.

Teams have until mid-day Monday to reduce their rosters to 26 players, and Cano became a casualty because he has struggled to fit into a part-time role on a team that leads the National League East.

Cano had been playing against right-handers, but the Mets signaled their move when they sat Cano in Sunday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Zach Eflin.

Cano, now 39, is an eight-time All-Star. But he missed all of the 2021 season because of a suspension for a second violation of using performance-enhancing drugs and is batting .195 (8-for-41) in 12 games with one home run and three RBIs.

Manager Buck Showalter said Sunday before the game that sitting Cano was the right decision.

“It’s tough, and I’m very empathetic to that,” Showalter said. “But we’re trying to win a baseball game tonight. There’s a lot of things, we’ve taken in a lot of factors, and what gives you the best chance to win a baseball game. That’s the tiebreaker always.”

Cano has 2,632 career hits, placing him third on the list for most hits among active players behind Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera, both members of the 3,000-hit club. A five-time winner of the Silver Slugger award, he has 335 career home runs and 1,305 RBIs in 2,246 games with the New York Yankees (2005-2013), Seattle Mariners (2014-18) and Mets.

He signed a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Mariners in December 2013, and the Mariners traded him to the Mets in December 2018 as part of a six-player swap.

In May 2018, MLB suspended Cano for 80 games for his first violation of PED rules. In all, he forfeited more than $34 million in salary because of the suspensions.

The Mets also optioned right-handed pitcher Yoan Lopez to Triple-A Syracuse to bring the roster to the mandated 26 players.

–Field Level Media

More About: MLB

Mets designate Robinson Cano for assignment

By eric mullin • published may 2, 2022 • updated on may 2, 2022 at 11:45 am.

With MLB rosters shrinking from 28 to 26 players on Monday, the New York Mets cut ties with a big-name player.

The Mets designated eight-time All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano for assignment.

RHP Yoan López has been optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game and today infielder Robinson Canó has been designated for assignment, bringing the roster to 26 players. — New York Mets (@Mets) May 2, 2022

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The 39-year-old had gotten off to a rough start to the 2022 season, hitting just .195/.233/.268 with one home run and three RBIs in 43 plate appearances for the first-place Mets. He was making his return to the field this season after missing all of 2021 due to a second PED suspension.

Cano, who's under contract through 2023, is owed $24 million this year and the next. The Seattle Mariners, who dealt Cano to New York in 2018, are on the hook for $3.75 million each season.

Cano is the closest active player to 3,000 hits with 2,632.

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Mets designate 8-time All-Star for assignment

Could this be the end of Robinson Canó's MLB career?

Monday was a pivotal day around Major League Baseball as teams had to cut their active roster down from 28 players to 26. This brought with it a number of surprising transactions and the New York Mets made perhaps the most noteworthy move.

The Mets announced on Monday they would be designating veteran second baseman Robinson Canó for assignment, as well as optioning pitcher Yoan Lopez to Triple-A.

RHP Yoan López has been optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game and today infielder Robinson Canó has been designated for assignment, bringing the roster to 26 players. — New York Mets (@Mets) May 2, 2022

Canó made his return to the MLB in 2022 after his second suspension for performance-enhancing drugs , one that saw him suspended for the entire 2021 MLB season.

The eight-time All-Star has not been overly impressive for the Mets thus far this season, holding only a .195 batting average and .233 on-base percentage in 43 plate appearances.

While it may be a good thing for the Mets to be rid of Canó considering his poor performance so far this season, the team is still on the hook for the majority of his massive contract , which is worth $40.5 million this year.

Canó DFA’d. Mets at start of season owed him $40.5M in 2022-23. On the hook for vast majority of that. https://t.co/2q7WyvTXWz — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 2, 2022

Given his contract, it almost certainly means that Canó will not be picked up by another club on waivers. It would then be up to the Mets whether they want to release Canó or send him to one of their minor league clubs if he were to accept that.

This certainly raises the question of whether or not we will ever see Canó at the MLB level again. The five-time Silver Slugger winner is clearly past his prime at 39 and would have a steep hill to climb to remain at the MLB level going forward.

If Canó were to be outright released, he may make for a valuable clubhouse veteran for a contending team. Still, given his age, teams may feel that Canó is at the end of the line when it comes to his MLB career.

[ New York Mets ]

About Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.

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New York Mets News

What Designating Robinson Cano For Assignment Signals For Mets

NEW YORK -- The Mets designated Robinson Cano for assignment when rosters cut down from 28 to 26 players on Monday.

While it was evident that Cano's skills had declined, the team still owed him $39.6 million across this season and next, which made it difficult to envision them eating this money after just 23 games.

But the Mets have an owner with deep pockets in billionaire Steve Cohen, who is committed to winning. So when it came down to choosing between Cano, Dominic Smith, Luis Guillorme, J.D. Davis or Travis Jankowski, general manager Billy Eppler was given the flexibility to make the best baseball move, regardless of the financial implications. 

“I walked through the transaction with Sandy (Alderson) and then ultimately with Steve (Cohen), and as we were kind of talking through the weekend and then yesterday a little bit before the game, I wanted to make sure everyone was understanding of what the impact was," Eppler said prior to the Mets' series opener with the Atlanta Braves on Monday. 

“I passed along to him (Cohen) the recommendations of the baseball group and front office staff. I walked through some details with him (Cohen) and he said ‘make the baseball decision.'"

The Mets have a blueprint for how they want to deploy the position players on their roster this season - and Cano was no longer a part of this plan. 

“Given the construction of our roster and how the playing time was going to be allocated it put us in a position where we had to make some difficult decisions,” Eppler said. "We weren’t going to have the plate appearances (for Cano) as we want to allocate them around and utilize the whole bench.”

New York is off to a strong 16-8 start to the season, and with the backing of Cohen, the team has very minimal restrictions when it comes to spending money. In this case, it was eating $37.6 million in order to keep Smith, Davis, Guillorme and Jankowski on the roster, who have all proven to be significantly more valuable than Cano this year.

Coming off a year-long suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, Cano got off to an abysmal start at the plate, slashing .195/.233/.268 with a .501 OPS, one home run and three RBIs across 41 at-bats. While the 39-year-old brought veteran leadership to the team, and was well-liked in the clubhouse, his role had been minimized to serving as a part-time DH and second baseman. 

"It was emotional for all of us...but [we'll be able] to get some people in the mix more consistently that we think are deserving," manager Buck Showalter said prior to the Mets' 3-2 series opener loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

Despite Cano's hefty price tag, the Mets are all-in on carrying the best 26 players on their active roster. As Cohen has said in the past, he will do whatever it takes to win. This latest move backs those words up. 

-  Mets Manager Buck Showalter Receives One-Game Suspension

- Mets Designate Robinson Cano For Assignment

- Dominic Smith's Four-Hit Night Helps Mets Win Seventh Consecutive Series To Begin Season

Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter ( @ragazzoreport ), be sure to bookmark Inside The Mets and check back daily for news, analysis and more.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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New York Mets designate struggling Robinson Cano for assignment

NEW YORK -- The Mets have designated struggling infielder Robinson Cano for assignment.

Cano, 39, is owed $44,703,297 by the Mets from the remainder of the $240 million, 10-year contract he signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2013. Through 43 plate appearances this season, he is hitting just .195 with one home run, three RBIs and a .501 OPS. He has appeared in 12 of 23 games, starting six at second base and five at designated hitter.

Mets general manager Billy Eppler -- who has known Cano dating back to their times with the New York Yankees -- said the conversation with the infielder was one of the most difficult of his entire career.

"We had to make some difficult decisions and ultimately it came to the point where it was Robbie," Eppler said. "We just weren't going to have the plate appearances."

All MLB teams had to reduce their rosters by two players, to 26, by Monday. The Mets also optioned right-hander Yoan Lopez to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday night as one of those moves. Relegated to a part-time role this season, Cano was a casualty of the crunch as the first-place Mets chose to keep younger, more versatile bench players instead.

Cano received the news from Eppler in Mets manager Buck Showalter's office after Sunday night's game. Eppler said the conversations around how the Mets needed to address their roster crunch started early last week, and the move to let go of Cano was brought up by Eppler to team president Sandy Alderson and team owners Steve and Alex Cohen by Sunday evening.

"It was emotional for all of us," Showalter said. "You can expect him to get another opportunity and it wouldn't surprise anybody for him to contribute to another club."

The decision to jettison Cano was still a complicated one for the Mets -- and not only because of all the money he's owed,but because of his status as a popular veteran in the clubhouse, always happy to share his baseball wisdom. Cano and several teammates said they were confident he would produce at the plate if given the opportunity and with the writing on the wall, star shortstop Francisco Lindor said Sunday he wouldn't be happy if Cano was cut.

"He's been around for so long in this game and he's an icon here in New York," Mets utility man J.D. Davis said. "He's been a centerpiece in this clubhouse, been a leader. To lose him, it definitely takes a little bit of wind out of our sails."

New York has seven days to trade or release Cano, or send him outright to the minors -- an assignment he would have the right to refuse because he has at least three years of major league service.

Eppler said he was given the green light by the Cohens to make a purely baseball move and not think about the financial implications of letting go of Cano, despite his massive salary.

"Steve is very committed to winning and when I talked to Steve or when I talked to Alex Cohen, it's do what's best for the team, for the roster and present them with facts and options," Eppler said. "It makes the job pretty fulfilling to be able to display everything in their direction that we can do, but they want to know what's best for the club."

"You know, he owns our club and he's the one that made the commitment to take the club and buy the club and always, it's his prerogative to do whatever he wants," Showalter said. "Everything with Steve has been about baseball and what's best for the team and the fans and the organization, not just this decision but every turn we've taken."

The Mets acquired Cano from the Mariners in 2018, in a trade that also brought closer Edwin Diaz to New York. The Mets surrendered prized outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic as part of the package sent to Seattle.

In three seasons with the Mets, Cano hit .269 with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs.He was suspended for the 2021 season after violating MLB's policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

An eight-time All-Star, Cano has a career average of .302 with 335 home runs and 1,305 RBIs in 17 seasons.He has 2,632 career hits, third most among active players.

Cano's agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, who was the Mets' general manager at the time of the blockbuster trade, told the New York Post that his client "absolutely still wants to play."

"Given the right situation, he can still make a meaningful contribution for a team," he told the newspaper.

Van Wagenen added that Cano has a "great deal of respect" for the Mets and "understands they had a tough decision to make. He wishes them well going forward."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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MLB Trade Rumors

By Mark Polishuk | July 28, 2024 at 10:48am CDT

The Cardinals announced that right-hander Giovanny Gallegos has been designated for assignment.  Right-hander Kyle Leahy was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move, and the Cards now have an open space on their 40-man roster.

The DFA underscores a disaster of a season for Gallegos, who has a 6.53 ERA over 21 appearances and 20 2/3 innings.  After emerging as a cornerstone of the St. Louis bullpen from 2019-22, some red flags appeared last season when Gallegos’ ERA shot up to 4.42 (in 55 innings) as his strikeout rate declined and batters suddenly started to make much more solid contact against his offerings.

Things got worse for Gallegos this season, as he has allowed six homers over his 20 2/3 frames and his strikeout rate (22.3%) and walk rate (10.6%) are both career worsts.  The sudden loss of control is particularly troubling, as even amidst Gallegos’ struggles in 2023, he still sat in the 92nd percentile of all pitchers in terms of walk rate.  Health could be an issue since Gallegos missed a month and a half due to a shoulder impingement, though he wasn’t pitching well either before or after his stint on the 15-day injured list.

Despite these significant struggles, Gallegos’ track record means that he’ll likely catch on with another team pretty quickly, if perhaps not via waiver claim.  A team that puts in a claim would assume the remainder of Gallegos’ salary — roughly $1.84MM in 2024 salary, plus a $500K buyout of his $6.5MM club option for the 2025 campaign.

Unless a trade is worked out during the DFA period and before Tuesday’s deadline, clubs might prefer to wait until Gallegos clears waivers and is then likely released by the Cardinals.  A new team would then owe Gallegos just the prorated portion of a MLB minimum salary, and St. Louis would be on the hook for the remaining money owed.  Since Gallegos has more than five years of MLB service time, he has the right to refuse an outright assignment from the Cardinals if he does clear waivers.

Led by star closer Ryan Helsley , the Cardinals have gotten solid results in general from their bullpen this season, with Gallegos uncharacteristically being the relief corps’ weak link.  St. Louis, like most contenders, was known to be exploring the market for some bullpen reinforcements heading into the deadline, and moving Gallegos (and freeing up a 40-man roster spot) would hint that some kind of plans are in mind for the Cards before July 30.

37 Comments

10 hours ago

Not sure what happened to Gallegos but he’s been terrible all year he earned this.

My mind wants to say overuse but could be wrong. Reminds me of guys like Siegrist, Maness & other guys who were good for a while but flamed out and couldn’t get it back

9 hours ago

In 2022, Gallegos went 25.8 seconds between pitches. In 2023, when we saw him begin to decline, the pitch clock was implemented. He may be a victim of being forced to suddenly work 6+ seconds quicker.

8 hours ago

He was a prime example of why that pitch clock was introduced. Watching him waste time between pitches was brutal.

7 hours ago

Yet it’s not very fair to him if the pitch clock has indeed ruined his career.

To be fair, he had been better since coming back from the IL. He wasn’t good in his most recent appearance, but he had a few scoreless outings before then.

Mr. Gallegos, Cubs are on line one.

Dumpster diving won’t save Cubs’ next season.

Incoming at Busch…

I’m pretty shocked, but def glad. Better late then never. Hopefully shedding dead wood is the theme of the day.

Gio was a true horse for several years, but he has been bad for while. Another extension Mo should never have given.

If Tampa can get SDs 3,8,12 for Adam, the Cardinals should seriously consider selling Ryan Helsley. Like, today.

I’ve been saying the same thing. He will never be more valuable than he is today. Plus the Cardinals are barely treading water. -50 run differential can’t be explained away.

I would have to know exactly what we are talking.

The Cardinals are still firmly in contention, so there’s no reason to sell their best reliever, who they need to make a run for the playoffs.

RIP Giovanni longtime cardinal

We haven’t had a day this sad since Joe panik left the giants (wait this isn’t that sad it’s only baseball)

So the results are in!

Gallegos gave the Cards 4.4bWAR Luke Voit gave the yanks 4.5 bWAR

So the yanks “won” the trade…. But wait! Chase Shreve also was worth .2 bWAR!

Cardinals win! Cashman sucks!

JK, good deal for both sides.

The Yankees also got international slot money in the deal which they used to sign Jasson Dominguez who has accumulated .2 WAR. Theeeee Yankeeeees wiiin!!! Also kidding. Great deal for both teams.

As one of the slowest workers in MLB, he never adapted to the pitch clock.

Have to wonder if the pitcher hand inspections had something to do with his decline as well. The first 2 years he came over his slider was devastating but it certainly saw a decline since. Wonder how Julian Tavarez would fare in this environment

Pitch clock is what got him. He was one of the slowest pitchers in all the baseball.

Back to the Yanks

Randy, I am the liquor!

Lets hope this is not the only news we read about the Cardinals before the trade deadline?

They should trade Goldy Arenado Gorman an get whatever the best deal you can make now. Tired of them not producing and strike outs. The pitching is good enough the offense is not!

What are you talking about? The Cards are two games over .500 and going to win the World Series. The GAG trio will lead them there. You enjoyed the MVP caliber seasons of Goldy and Arenado. Now you must endure the no-trade decline years. Only three more years of Arenado.

Goldsmith was a steal

5 hours ago

Walk off Goldy!

3 seconds ago

Wait do you get to talk trash about the guy and ALSO celebrate his successes?

Maybe a reunion with Shildt and working with Niebla could help change his fortunate a bit…

Cards should show Marmol the door, he continues make bad moves during games and continues to play Carlson , who in my opinion costs us too many games with his poor outfield play.

So, what we’re saying here is the Cardinals ‘let go of Gallegos‘?

Go get him Red Sox, can’t be worse than Chased Anderson.

I’m still standing by my theory that the pitch clock has ruined Gallegos’s career. He was one of the slowest working pitchers in MLB before the pitch clock, and then his production fell off a cliff once it was instituted starting last year.

i agree that the pitch clock affected his career , I also blame the Pitch clock for the increase in pitchers arm problems this year. The players union should be pushing to change or eliminate the clock.

One bad year see ya?

58 mins ago

No, two bad years. He’s also an upcoming free agent getting paid over $6M this year..

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