Seattle Mariners: Robinson Cano the First Baseman?

Robinson Cano returns to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday after serving his 80-game suspension for testing positive for Furosemide. Will he be playing his usual position?

Seattle Mariners superstar Robinson Cano returns to the big league club on Tuesday following his 80-game suspension for violating baseball’s joint drug agreement. The 35-year-old will be in a Mariner’s uniform for the first time since May 13, a game in which the lefty broke his wrist. Cano later tested positive for Furosemide, a diuretic often used to mask banned substances in urine tests(ESPN). Because of his suspension, Cano is not eligible to play in the post-season. Losing Robinson Cano is a big loss for a Seattle team which is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

In Cano’s absence, the Mariners moved Dee Gordon from center field back to his natural position of second base. While Gordon is a lesser hitter, he is a superior defender and having him at second allows for a mix of Cameron Maybin and Denard Span to man the Safeco outfield.

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Having Gordon sharp at second base will benefit the Mariners in the long run as he will be playing second if the club is able to reach the postseason. Meanwhile, putting Span and Maybin in regular outfield roles will benefit the team going forward more than the Mariners’ other current second base options.

Cano is expected to play a majority of the first base going forward, replacing young Ryon Healy. While Healy has hit 25 home runs in 2018, he is also slashing a lowly .237/.271/..445.

Moving Cano to first should give the Mariners an offensive boost as they look to capture some of the magic which led the team to a 46-34 record in Cano’s absence. The slugger is also expected to play some third base, he received work at third and first base during a recent unpaid minor league assignment.

Going forward, the Seattle Mariners will need a healthy and productive Cano if they plan on catching the mighty (but currently hobbled) Houston Astros or the red-hot Oakland Athletics.

Before breaking his wrist, Cano had hit .287/.385/.441 with four home runs and 23 RBIs. The Mariners will need Cano to get back up to speed quickly as they have arguably overachieved throughout the season. Going into their game on Tuesday night, the Mariners have a run differential of -23 and have won an unreasonable amount of one-run games.

The American League West will be a fun division to watch as the 2018 season comes to an end. The Seattle Mariners have been a fun story, can the return of Robinson Cano put their club over the top?