Robinson Cano Trade Rumors: Mariners Trying to Move 2B; Yankees, Mets Linked

The Seattle Mariners are reportedly looking to trade second baseman Robinson Cano and have contacted the New York Yankees and Mets about a potential deal.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported a Cano trade has become the next order of business for general manager Jerry Dipoto. The Mariners have already traded ace James Paxton to the Yankees and catcher Mike Zunino to the Tampa Bay Rays as they begin a rebuild.

Cano, 36, was limited to 80 games played last season due to a performance-enhancing drug suspension. He hit .303/.374/.471 with 10 home runs and 50 runs batted in after returning to the team.

The Mariners are on the hook for $120 million over the next five seasons for Cano, who remains an effective player even into his mid-30s. He has produced at least 2.8 wins above replacement in each of the last 10 seasons and did not show any year-to-year decline despite the PED suspension.

Teams would not have any issue paying Cano the $24 million per season he's owed for the next couple years. The length of his contract, on the other hand, presents an issue. He'll make that same $24 million salary when he's 40 years old in 2023.

The Mariners want to get out from under most of that contract and have a roster crunch that could necessitate a trade. They acquired outfielder Mallex Smith from the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this month, which will force them to move Dee Gordon from center field. Gordon played second base last season during Cano's suspension. 

"Don't know that yet," Dipoto told reporters when asked about where Cano would play. "A lot of that depends on what our roster looks like. As we get closer to Spring Training, we'll have a better idea of what 25 players make the most sense. If it makes the most sense for the Mariners for Robbie to play second base, then that's where we'll play him."

Cano has a full no-trade clause, so he would have to approve any move. The Yankees do not have an obvious fit for Cano in their lineup and would likely need him to move to first base or become their full-time designated hitter. 

The Mets hope to have youngsters Jeff McNeil and Peter Alonso manning the second base and first base spots, respectively, over the long term. 

It is also unclear how much of Cano's contract the Mariners are willing to eat.