Robinson Cano Apologizes to Teammates, Reflects on PED Suspension
Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
In his first media appearance since 2020, Robinson Cano apologized to his teammates for taking performance-enhancing drugs. The 39-year-old admitted to his PED usage and said that he learned a lesson from this suspension.
“I know what I needed last season was a lesson for myself, being at home, not being able to see my teammates. The best lesson you can have is learning a lesson from yourself,” Cano said.
Cano said sitting out last season was hard for him, and that he doesn’t want to be a distraction to his team.
“I took my suspension, I learned from my suspension. It was really tough for me,” Cano said.
In addition to taking responsibility for his actions, Cano said he’s happy to be back with the team. When asked about his Hall of Fame chances, Cano said he isn’t really focused on them.
“Honestly my focus is just being happy to be back and my focus is just on this team to win a championship,” Cano said.
Cano was asked multiple times if he could be trusted to not fail another test, each time avoiding the question.
This was Cano’s second PED suspension in a span of three years. While with the Mariners in 2018, Cano served an 80-game ban for testing positive for the diuretic Lasix. After the 2020 season, Cano tested positive for Stanozolol, the same drug that Jenrry Mejia was popped for back in 2015. Cano said he was on PEDs for “the past couple of years, but never before that.” Cano added that there are no excuses for why he took them.
“There’s no how or why. There’s no excuses. I can’t live in the past. Just move on and keep being the same Robby Cano I’ve always been,” Cano said.
Cano’s first year in Flushing was a disappointment. He hit a career-worst .256/.307/.428 (95 OPS+) with 13 homers, 28 doubles, and 0.6 rWAR in 423 plate appearances. Cano was able to bounce back in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season though, hitting .316/.352/.544 (143 OPS+) with 10 homers and 1.1 rWAR in 182 plate appearances. Cano’s defense has continued to regress, chipping negative-2 DRS at second base in 2019 and negative-4 in 2020.
As MMO’s Andrew Steele-Davis wrote, Cano is expected to battle with Dom Smith and J.D. Davis for the primary designated hitter role. The Mets are still paying Cano a little over 20 million dollars in 2022 and 2023.
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