Robinson Cano Suspended 80 Games by MLB for Positive PED Test

Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano was suspended 80 games Tuesday for violating Major League Baseball's joint drug agreement, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital was the first to report the news Tuesday. He wrote: "According to off-the-record sources and non-official reports, Dominican All-Star Robinson Cano will be suspended for steroid use."

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweeted the following statement from Major League Baseball regarding the suspension, which resulted from a positive test for a banned diuretic:

Cano also tweeted a statement in which he accepted the suspension despite saying a doctor prescribed him the diuretic:

Cano tested positive in an exam in the Dominican Republic last winter and a potential appeal was discussed, per Jon Heyman of FRS Baseball.

The 35-year-old veteran is on the 10-day disabled list after suffering a broken bone in his right hand on a hit by pitch.

Prior to the injury, Cano was hitting .287 with four home runs and 23 RBI.

An eight-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger award winner, two-time Gold Glove award winner and one-time World Series champion, Cano is among the best second basemen of his era.

He has hit 20 or more home runs in a season on eight occasions and drove in at least 100 runs in a campaign four times.

With career numbers of .304 with 305 homers and 1,206 RBI split between the New York Yankees and Mariners, Cano has put together a resume worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.

If the performance-enhancing drug stigma is attached to him, however, it will be difficult for him to gain entry into Cooperstown, New York, as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens can attest to.

Cano was already set to miss a significant amount of time because of injury, but the suspension means he won't be eligible to return until the beginning of August.

Unless they make a trade, the Mariners will utilize Andrew Romine and Gordon Beckham at second base until then.

Cano is a significant loss for a team that is 1.5 games out of a playoff spot in the American League and is looking to reach the postseason for the first time since 2001.