Major League Baseball suspended New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano for the entire 2021 regular season due to a positive PED test. Cano forfeits a $24 million salary next season after being found to have ingested Stanozolol, which is in violation of MLB’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.
Cano was previously suspended 80 games during the 2018 season for his first positive PED test. His latest punishment is an early setback — at least from an optics standpoint — in the tenure of new Mets owner Steve Cohen, who had revitalized excitement within the fanbase.
“We were extremely disappointed to be informed about Robinson’s suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” Mets president Sandy Alderson
said in a statement.
“The violation is very unfortunate for him, the organization, our fans, and the sport. The Mets fully support MLB’s efforts toward eliminating performance enhancing substances from the game.”
New York acquired Cano from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for top outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic, as well as Gerson Bautista, Jay Bruce, Justin Dunn and Anthony Swarzak. Cano struggled in his debut season with the Mets but had a resurgent 2020.
He appeared in 49 games and hit .316/.352/.544 with nine doubles, 10 home runs and 30 RBI. Cano has three more years remaining on a long-term contract he signed with the Mariners. He’s due to earn $24 million in both 2022 and 2023.
Cohen wants to model Mets after Dodgers
Cohen, who was in the bidding to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt, pointed to the World Series champions as a franchise to model the Mets after.
New York last was in the postseason in 2016, when they lost the National League Wild Card Game to the San Francisco Giants. They won the NL East the year prior but went on to lose the World Series in five games, and before that the Mets hadn’t won the division since 2006.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in our shows, and more!
