As the Mets begin a three-game series against the second-place Atlanta Braves on Monday, a very familiar face is in the lineup.
Robinson Cano, who the Mets are still paying after designating him for assignment earlier this season, is slated to hit ninth and play second base for the Braves.
"I'm happy for him. It's good," Mets manager Buck Showalter said of his former player. "I love Robbie. A good teammate and obviously glad he got another opportunity. Doesn’t surprise anybody by that. Hope things work out well for him."
Cano just signed a minor league deal with them after the San Diego Padres traded him for cash considerations, and his first game in his new threads will be against his old team.
With San Diego, Cano had just three hits in 33 at-bats, so that experiment failed as he spent a stint in Triple-A. The Mets had to let him go this season when cutting the roster down to 26 men after hitting .195 in 12 games.
"I was thankful for the opportunity I had with the Mets when I got traded from Seattle and there’s no hard feelings," Cano told reporters down in Atlanta prior to the series opener. "I have friends on the other side and always wish them the best.
"It’s a business. That’s what they decided and I’m here.”
The move for Cano was prompted by the injury to Ozzie Albies, leaving a reinforcement at second base necessary.
Cano was suspended for the entire 2021 season after testing positive for PEDs.
The Mets are still on the hook for the $40.5 million on his contract for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.