One would have thought that the San Diego Padres had moved on. They had brought Robinson Cano in to see if he had anything left, a veteran option at second base that could potentially provide some pop. As he would only be due a prorated portion of the league minimum, there was no harm in taking a look.
Cano quickly showed that he had nothing left. As bad as he was with the Mets, he was even worse in San Diego with just three singles and a walk in 34 plate appearances. The Padres finally appeared to have moved on and cut their losses.
Robinson Cano back with San Diego Padres to see if anything is left
Eight days after returning to free agency, Cano has returned. The Padres announced that they had signed him to a minor league contract on Friday and will assign him to Triple-A El Paso.
Interestingly, this could have all happened those eight days prior. The Padres wanted to send him down to Triple-A as he was wasting a major league roster spot but Cano refused, choosing free agency instead. Perhaps he felt that, since the Padres were unable to see that he had nothing left, another major league team would give him an opportunity.
That did not happen. Instead, Cano came back to the Padres, ready to accept that a minor league deal is the best that he can get right now. In fact, Cano reportedly wanted to get consistent at bats in Triple-A to see if he has anything left.
At this point, the tank may well be empty. He is 39 years old and had missed the entire 2021 season due to his second PED suspension. Cano has had a solid career, and the overall statistics that warrant a discussion of his Hall of Fame chances, but his PED usage clouds his accomplishments.
Robinson Cano is back with the San Diego Padres on a minor league contract. This time, he is looking to see if he has anything left.