For just the second time in the past nine All-Star Games, Robinson Cano will not be representing the AL as a second baseman. And when he returns Aug. 14 from his 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy, he might not be much of a second baseman at all.
Dee Gordon has moved from center field to his more natural second base during Cano’s absence, and while his hitting remains tepid, Gordon provides speed, energy and defense at second. Perhaps most important, he also can play in the postseason. As part of Cano’s punishment, he cannot. Which is why, while prepping for his return in the Dominican Republic, Cano has taken grounders at first.
“Our expectation is that Dee Gordon is going to play second base,” Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto said by phone. “[Cano] is not eligible for the postseason, so we have to get Dee on the field. Cano will play first base, occasionally second base and DH. He will be in the lineup every day.”
Dipoto did not want to discuss any structure beyond this season. But regular DH Nelson Cruz is in his walk year, Gordon is signed through 2020 with an option for 2021 and Seattle has never solved finding a full-time first baseman — Ryon Healy has 18 homers, but just a .270 on-base percentage. So Cano, signed through 2023 for $24 million annually, actually fits the Mariners better as a first baseman/DH moving forward than at second. And it would be harder for him to publicly fight a change of position with the stain of a PED suspension now on his ledger.
Trades Brewin’?
Going into last season, it was possible to believe that the Brewers’ outfield of the future would be Keon Broxton, Brett Phillips and Domingo Santana with veteran Ryan Braun mixed in.
But Milwaukee decided instead to upgrade in that area, signing Lorenzo Cain and trading an outfield prospect (Lewis Brinson) among others for Christian Yelich. That decision received validation with Cain and Yelich both making the NL All-Star team. So did Jesus Aguilar, whose emergence as the everyday first baseman motivated Milwaukee to move Eric Thames to the outfield (he is on the DL currently).
That suddenly leaves that outfield of the future without set positions and possibly to be used in some fashion in trades to bolster the Brewers before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
“I think we have depth in that area,” Brewers GM David Stearns said by phone. “When you have depth in a particular area, the rest of the industry takes note and there are conversations about the areas of depth. It doesn’t mean you move the depth. The depth has helped us this year.”