Robinson Cano Suspended For 80 Games
Mariners star Robinson Cano has received an eighty-game suspension for testing positive for substances banned by the MLB-MLBPA Joint Drug Agreement. Since the ban begins immediately, Cano will be eligible to return in the middle of August.
The implications, to be sure, are many. Cano will not be eligible to draw his usual salary, meaning he’ll forfeit $12MM and save the team the same amount. And he’ll surely lose some sponsorship opportunities, costing him further money. The veteran second baseman also will not be eligible to participate in the postseason if the Mariners make it in.
Cano remains under contract for five more seasons beyond the present one. He was hitting .243 with 6 HR, 22 RBI and a 0.3 WAR. He’s slated to earn $24MM per season from 2019 through 2023. While that means the M’s won’t be looking for a long-term replacement, they will need to replace him in the near-term. For the immediate time being, Gordon Beckham is up to take a roster spot. Beckham was hitting .300 in Tacoma, which is why he’s being recalled over the likes of John Andreoli and Taylor Motter, two other hitters in Tacoma on the 40-man roster.
