| Robinson Canó | |||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Canó with theNew York Mets in 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| Diablos Rojos del México – No. 22 | |||||||||||||||
| Second baseman | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1982-10-22)October 22, 1982 (age 43) San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| May 3, 2005, for the New York Yankees | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .301 | ||||||||||||||
| Hits | 2,639 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 335 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 1,306 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Robinson José Canó Mercedes (Spanish pronunciation:[kaˈno]; born October 22, 1982) is a Dominican-American professionalbaseballsecond baseman for theDiablos Rojos del México of theMexican League; he also captains theEstrellas Orientales of theDominican Professional Baseball League. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theNew York Yankees,Seattle Mariners,New York Mets,San Diego Padres, andAtlanta Braves.
A native ofSan Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, Canó signed with the Yankees organization as an amateurfree agent in 2001. He played for the Yankees from 2005 to 2013, also winning the2009 World Series over thePhiladelphia Phillies. In December 2013, Canó signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Mariners and he played for them from 2014 to 2018, when he was traded to the Mets. Canó recorded 1,695hits in the 2010s, the most of any major league player during that decade. He is an eight-timeMLB All-Star, a five-timeSilver Slugger Award winner, and a two-timeGold Glove Award winner. Canó is also the2017All-Star Game MVP and the2011 Home Run Derby winner.
Canó has tested positive forperformance-enhancing drugs twice. In 2018, Canó was suspended from MLB for 80 games for violating the league's joint drug agreement by usingfurosemide. Canó was also suspended for the entire 2021 season after testing positive forstanozolol.
Canó has represented theDominican Republic in international play. In the2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournament, he won both agold medal and a Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). Along with WBC teammatesOctavio Dotel andSantiago Casilla, Canó became one of four players to have won both a World Series and a WBC.
Cano's father,José Canó, signed with theNew York Yankees as an amateurfree agent in 1980 and pitched in the Yankees' andAtlanta Braves minor league systems before making his Major League debut and pitching six games for theHouston Astros in 1989. Robinson was named after baseball legendJackie Robinson.[1]
Canó was born on October 22, 1982 in San Pedro de Macorís,Dominican Republic,[2] and grew up in the Dominican Republic, though he lived inNew Jersey for three years. He spent seventh, eighth, and ninth grades in theNewark School System, attendingBarringer High School for one year.[3] When his family moved back to the Dominican Republic, Canó attended San Pedro Apostol High School inSan Pedro de Macorís, where he played for the school's baseball and basketball teams.[4] In theDominican Winter Baseball League he plays for his hometown team, theEstrellas Orientales.[5]
After graduating from high school, Canó was signed by the Yankees on January 5, 2001, as an amateur free agent, receiving asigning bonus of over $100,000.[6] He began playing in theirminor league system that season, debuting with theGulf Coast Yankees of the Rookie-levelGulf Coast League and theStaten Island Yankees of the Low–ANew York–Penn League. Canó played for Staten Island and theGreensboro Bats of the Single–ASouth Atlantic League in 2002. Canó played for theTampa Yankees of the High–AFlorida State League andTrenton Thunder of the Double–AEastern League in 2003, by which point he was viewed as a top prospect.[7] Canó appeared in the 2003All-Star Futures Game.[7]
Canó was one of the five prospects offered to theTexas Rangers to complete the Yankees' acquisition ofAlex Rodriguez before the 2004 season. The Rangers selectedJoaquín Árias instead.[6][8][9]
Canó began the 2004 season with Trenton, receiving a promotion to theColumbus Clippers of theTriple–AInternational League. When theKansas City Royals began to seek trade offers forCarlos Beltrán, the Yankees moved Canó tothird base in an effort to showcase Canó for the Royals.[6] The next month, the Yankees attempted to trade him to theArizona Diamondbacks as part of a package to acquireRandy Johnson.[6] He began the 2005 season with Columbus.
Canó was called up to the major leagues on May 3, 2005, while hitting .330 in 108 at bats with Columbus, and took over second base fromTony Womack.[10] On May 5, Canó got his first career base hit off ofHideo Nomo of theTampa Bay Devil Rays. Canó belted his first career grand slam this season as well. He finished second in American LeagueRookie of the Year balloting toHuston Street of theOakland Athletics.[4] Canó finished the year, however, with the third-worstwalk percentage in the league, 3.0%.[11] During 2005, managerJoe Torre compared Canó toHall of FamerRod Carew. Torre clarified that he meant that Canó "reminded" him of Carew, in terms of his build, presence at the plate, and smoothness in his swing.[12]
In 2006, Canó led theAmerican League (AL) All-Star balloting at second base, but could not play after being placed on thedisabled list for a strainedhamstring. After his return from injury, however, on August 8, 2006, Canó led the league inbatting average,doubles, andruns batted in.[13] During late September 2006, Canó accumulated enough at-bats to once again qualify for the AL batting race. Canó was rewarded the ALPlayer of the Month award for September.[4]
Canó finished 2006 with the third best batting average in the AL (.342, just two points behind teammate shortstopDerek Jeter and five points behindMinnesota TwinscatcherJoe Mauer), and ninth in the league in doubles (41). He also led the AL in batting average on the road (.364; 96/264) and after the sixth inning (.353; 55/156). He had the third-worst walk percentage in the league at 3.6%.[14] Canó received three votes for AL MVP.[15]
In 2007, Canó gave up his number 22 toRoger Clemens, choosing to wear the number 24, a reversal ofJackie Robinson's number 42, in tribute to him.[16] After a slow start to the 2007 season which saw him hit a meager .249 through May 29, Canó found his stroke batting .385 in the month of July with six home runs and 24 RBI to raise his season average to .300 by the end of the month. He finished 2007 sixth in the league in games played (160), ninth in triples (7), and tenth in hits (189), doubles (41), and at bats (617). He was the only batter in the top 10 in doubles in the AL in both 2006 and 2007.
On January 24, 2008, Canó signed a contract extension for $28 million over the next four years in the 2008 through 2011 seasons. The deal also included options for the Yankees for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, worth $27 million.[17]
Canó struggled early in the 2008 season, hitting only .151 by the end of in April, with just 7 RBIs. He improved later in the year, hitting .300 from May through August.[18]
Canó recorded the final walk-off hit inYankee Stadium history by singling in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning in the Yankees 1–0 victory over the Orioles on September 20, 2008. In the final game at Yankee Stadium the next night (September 21, 2008), Canó recorded the final RBI in Stadium history with his sacrifice fly in the 7th inning, scoringBrett Gardner with the Stadium's final run. Canó missed only five games over the 2007 and 2008 seasons, and was one of only three Yankees to hit a home run as a pinch hitter.[19]
In 2009, Canó hit .320 with 204 hits, 25 home runs and 85 RBI.[20] Canó ranked in the top ten among players in the American league in hits, extra base hits, total bases, at bats, doubles, batting average, runs scored, and triples. It was his first year hitting over 20 home runs. His 200th hit against the Boston Red Sox to clinch the AL East Division made him and Derek Jeter the first middle infield duo in MLB history to both have 200 hits in the same season.[21]
His 204 hits ranked third for hits during the 2009 season, and first among all second basemen. Canó also led second basemen in batting average.[20] Canó also played in 161 games which was the most games played by a player during the 2009 season.[20] He also hit his first career walk-off home run: a 3-run walk-off home run on August 28 against the White Sox.[22] On November 4, Canó threw outShane Victorino for the final out of the2009 World Series.[23]
With the departure ofHideki Matsui, Canó was moved into the fifth spot in the batting order.[24] For his early season performance, Canó was named the AL Player of the Month for April 2010.[25] He was elected as the starting second baseman in the2010 MLB All-Star Game and was selected to participate in the2010 Home Run Derby;[26] however, he withdrew due to a minor injury.[27] He finished the season with a milestone 200 hits and 100+ RBIs (109).[20]
Canó performed ably in the middle of the lineup, replacing Matsui andAlex Rodriguez while Rodriguez was on thedisabled list, as he had improved his batting with runners inscoring position.[28]
Canó hit .343 with four home runs and 6 RBIs in the 2010 postseason. He finished the season with a .996fielding percentage, the best for a second baseman in MLB, committing only three errors in 158 games. He turned 114 double plays and recorded 341 putouts. Canó won the American LeagueGold Glove Award for second basemen in 2010, the first by a Yankee second baseman sinceBobby Richardson's five-year run from 1961 to 1965. Canó also won the American LeagueSilver Slugger Award for second basemen with a batting average of .319, 29 home runs and 109 runs batted in.[29] In addition, he finished third in the voting for AL MVP.[30]
Canó had a rough first half to his defensive season. By June 18, he had committed six errors,[31] twice as many as he had the previous season, when he won a Gold Glove.[32]
Canó was selected for the2011 MLB All-Star Game as a starting second baseman, and was chosen to participate in the2011 Home Run Derby. With his father pitching, Canó won the derby, setting a record for home runs in the final round with 12 home runs despite having an additional four outs remaining.[33]
Facing theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim on August 10, Canó fell asingle short ofhitting for the cycle. It marked the second time in his career that he missed the cycle by a single (the first being in 2005).[34] Canó finished the 2011 season with 188 hits, 28 home runs, and a career-high 118 RBIs in 159 games.[20]
In Game 1 of the2011 AL Division Series, Canó hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Yankees an 8–1 lead. It marked his fourth grand slam of the year, including the regular season. He sandwiched the home run between two run-scoring doubles, giving him 6 total RBI for the game.[35] The Yankees would eventually lose the series in five games to theDetroit Tigers.
While Canó hit only one home run in April, he recovered to hit seven homers in May, and a career-high 11 home runs in June. He returned to compete in the2012 Home Run Derby but was not able to repeat the previous year's victory. Instead, he hit zero home runs and finished in last place, and was booed by the Kansas City fans for not having chosen the Royals'Billy Butler to participate in the competition after previously stating that he would choose a Royal. He became the ninth player to fail to hit a home run in the Derby, and first sinceBrandon Inge in2009.[36]
On July 20, 2012, Canó extended his career-high hitting streak to 23 games with a single off ofOakland Athletics pitcherTommy Milone in a 3–2 Yankees loss. And, in the last 10 games of the season, he went on a ferocious tear, going 24-for-39 for an .615 average with three home runs, seven doubles and 14 RBI.[37] Canó finished the 2012 season with a .313 batting average, 48 doubles, 33 home runs, and 94 RBI.[20]
Canó performed poorly during the postseason. Over his first eight games in the 2012AL Division Series andAL Championship Series, he batted .083 (3-for-36), including a stretch from October 9–16 when he was hitless after 29 at-bats, the longest hitless streak for any single year of the postseason play in MLB history.[37] In the Game 4 finale, when the Tigers' sweep of the Yankees was complete, again Canó went 0-for-4, and his 2012 postseason average dropped to .075 (3-for-40).[38]
On October 29, the Yankees exercised Canó's club option for 2013 for $15 million, keeping him away from free agency for another year.[39]
On April 13, 2013, Canó made his first career appearance at shortstop. He began the first half of the 2013 season with a .302 batting average, 21 home runs, and 65 RBI. He was named the AL captain for the2013 Home Run Derby.[40] During his only plate appearance of the2013 All-Star Game, he was hit by a pitch thrown byMatt Harvey and suffered a right quad contusion. Cano left the game and was replaced byDustin Pedroia. He only played for two pitches.[41]
On August 20, Canó hit his 200th career home run, a three-run blast to center field off ofToronto Blue Jays pitcherEsmil Rogers at Yankee Stadium.[42] During the 2013 season, Canó batted .314 with 190 hits, 27 home runs, and 107 RBI in 160 games played.[20]
In December 2013, Canó signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with theSeattle Mariners.[43][44][45] Canó was offered a seven-year, $175 million contract to return to the Yankees, but turned it down in search of a longer deal.[46]
Canó made his debut for the Mariners on March 31, going 2-for-4 with a double. Canó recorded his first RBI for the Mariners on April 2. On July 6, Canó was named the AL starting second baseman for the2014 MLB All-Star Game. This marked Canó's sixth career All Star selection, and his fifth consecutive.[47] Canó finished the season with a .314 batting average with 14 home runs and 82 RBI.[20][48] During August, he began to suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms that were later diagnosed as resulting from anintestinal parasite.[49]
After the season, Canó traveled to Japan to join a team of MLB All-Stars playing against All-Stars ofNippon Professional Baseball in the2014 Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series.[50] He fractured a toe during the series, requiring 3–4 weeks to heal.[51]
Canó suffered throughacid reflux during the 2015 season, which resulted from the treatment of the parasite. He was not named to the2015 All-Star Game roster, ending a streak of five consecutive years as an All-Star.[52] He hit .287 with 21 home runs, 34 doubles, and 79 RBIs in 156 games during the 2015 season, but improved in the second half of the season, batting .330. He tied for 2nd in the AL in double plays grounded into, with 26.[53] After the 2015 season, Cano had surgery to repair asports hernia.[54]
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On May 7,2016, Canó hit his 250th career home run, joiningJoe Gordon andJeff Kent as the only second basemen to reach 250 career home runs within the first 12 years of their career.[55] He was selected to his seventhAll-Star Game, played atPetco Park inSan Diego.[56] On August 28, Canó reached 30 home runs for the second time in his career, hitting it against theChicago White Sox.[57] In 161 games, Canó finished the season with a .298 batting average, 195 hits, 33 doubles, 39 home runs, and 103 RBI.[20]
On May 16,2017, the Mariners placed Canó on the 10-day disabled list due to a right quadriceps strain, retroactive to May 13. It was only the second time that Canó went on the disabled list in his career.[58] In theAll-Star Game atMarlins Park, Canó hit a home run in the top of the tenth inning off ofWade Davis that would give the American League a 2–1 win, earning himAll-Star Game MVP honors.[59] On September 13, Canó was ejected for the first time in his career for arguing withVic Carapazza over a strike call.[60] Canó hit his 300th career home run on September 21 versusKeone Kela of theTexas Rangers, becoming just the third second baseman in history to reach the milestone, followingJeff Kent (377) andRogers Hornsby (301). The home run also made him the 16th major leaguer to bat at least .300 with 2,000 hits, 1,000 runs scored, 1,000 runs driven in, and 500 doubles.[61]
Canó homered versusLance McCullers Jr. in a 4–1 loss to theHouston Astros on April 18,2018, to give him 302 for his career, and pass Hornsby for second place all-time among second basemen.[62] On April 29, Canó hit his 100th home run as a member of the Mariners, versusJosh Tomlin in a 10–4 victory over theCleveland Indians.[63] On May 13, against the Tigers, Canó was hit by a pitch on the right hand, and left the game. His right hand was diagnosed with a fracture in thefifth metacarpal bone.[64]
Two days into his injury, on May 15, Canó was suspended 80 games for testing positive forFurosemide, adiuretic better known as Lasix, which was a violation of MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy.[65] Canó returned to the Mariners on August 14, having served his suspension.[66]
For the season, he batted .303/.374/.471.[20]
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On December 3, 2018, the Mariners traded Canó,Edwin Díaz, and $20 million to theNew York Mets forJay Bruce,Jarred Kelenic,Anthony Swarzak,Gerson Bautista, andJustin Dunn, as part of the Mariners' rebuilding process.[67]
In his first at bat as a Met, Canó hit a home run off ofMax Scherzer of theWashington Nationals.[68] However, after a first half of the season which included two stints on the injured list, a career-high strikeout rate, and an 'F' grade from Mike Puma of theNew York Post, the Mets' trade for Canó was described as "a massive misstep" by Connor Byrne writing for MLB Trade Rumors, and as "an unmitigated disaster" by Mike Mazzeo ofYahoo Sports.[69][70][71] On July 23, Canó had his first career three-home-run game and drove in all five of Mets runs against theSan Diego Padres.[72] Canó's second half saw a major improvement – he posted a second halfOPS of .880, up from .646 OPS in the first half.[73]
In 2019, Canó batted .256/.307/.428 with 13 home runs and a career-low 39 RBIs.[20] He rebounded in thepandemic-shortened2020 season. His .316/.352/.544 slash line was second on the team in batting average and slugging percentage and his 141 wRC+ was fourth. It proved to be his best offensive season since leaving the Yankees in terms of OPS+ and wRC+.[74] After the 2020 season, he played for Dominican Republic in the2021 Caribbean Series.
On November 18, 2020, Canó was suspended for 162 games after testing positive forstanozolol in violation of MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy, rendering him ineligible for the entire2021 season. This was his second time testing positive for a PED.[75] Canó returned to the Mets in 2022. On May 2, the Metsdesignated Canó for assignment after he hit .195 with one home run in 41 at bats.[76] He had only received sporadic playing time, often coming off the bench.[77] On May 8, the Mets released Canó, making him a free agent.[78]
On May 13, 2022, Canó signed a major league contract with theSan Diego Padres.[79] Canó batted .094 in 12 games for the Padres, with 10 strikeouts in 34plate appearances, and was released by the Padres on June 2.[80]
On June 10, Canó re-signed with the Padres on a minor league contract and was assigned to theEl Paso Chihuahuas of the Triple-APacific Coast League.[81]
On July 10, 2022, the Padres traded Canó to theAtlanta Braves for cash considerations.[82][83] He made his Braves debut against theNew York Mets the next day.[84][85] The Braves designated Canó for assignment on August 1, after acquiringEhire Adrianza. Canó batted 4-for-26 (.154) in nine games for the Braves.[86] He was released on August 4, becoming a free agent.[87]
In aggregate, in 33 games and 100 at bats for three teams in 2022, he batted .150/.183/.190 with 4 walks and 25 strikeouts and was the slowest second baseman in the major leagues, with a sprint speed of 24.3 feet per second.[88]
In September 2023, Canó joined the ownership group ofBaseball United, a professional baseball league based inDubai.[89] On October 23, 2023, he was selected sixth overall in the league'sdraft by theDubai Wolves.[90] During the league's inaugural all-star showcase, Cano batted leadoff for the United West All-Stars in both games and went a combined 2 for 7 with 2 doubles and a walk.[91]
On March 1, 2024, Canó signed with theDiablos Rojos del México of theMexican League.[92][93] In 78 games for the club, he batted .431/.475/.639 with 14 home runs and 77 RBI, won the league's batting title, and led the league in hits.[94] With the team, Canó won theSerie del Rey.[95] On January 15, 2025, Cano re-signed with the Diablos for the 2025 season.[96] Canó lead the Diablos Rojos to an undefeated championship at the2025 Baseball Champions League Americas in April 2025 and was named the tournament MVP.[97]
Canó has participated for his nativeDominican Republic in fourWorld Baseball Classic (WBC) tournaments, held in2009,2013,2017, and2023.[98]
In the 2013 edition, Canó batted 15-for-32 (.469).[98] The Dominican Republic defeatedPuerto Rico 3–0 in the finals to win the championship and became the first undefeated team in the tournament's history.[98] Canó was named theMost Valuable Player of the Classic.[98] He joinedDominican Republic teammatesOctavio Dotel andSantiago Casilla as part of the four players to ever have won aWorld Series and World Baseball Classic, afterDaisuke Matsuzaka completed the feat. Twelve more players have gone on accomplish the feat, includingDavid Robertson, with whom Cano won a World Series in2009.[99]
In 2017, Canó was named the captain of the Dominican Republic team. After going 3–0 in the first round, the Dominican Republic lost its first game to Puerto Rico which ended their streak of 11 straight wins dating back to the 2013 World Baseball Classic.[100] The team failed to advance to the championship round and Canó finished 6-for-20 (.300) with a home run and 3 RBIs.[100]
| Title | Times | Dates | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Leaguechampion | 1 | 2009 | |
| World Serieschampion | 1 | 2009 | |
| World Baseball Classic champion | 1 | 2013 | [98] |
| Serie del Rey champion | 1 | 2024 | |
| Baseball Champions League Americas champion | 1 | 2025 | [97] |
Canó has a son, also named Robinson, who lives with his mother in the Dominican Republic.[110]
On November 13, 2012, Canó became a naturalized United States citizen.[111]
Canó is noted for his charity work.Hackensack University Medical Center (inNew Jersey) named a pediatric rehabilitation ward after him.[112] In 2015, Canó opened a Montessori school in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris.[113]
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | American League Player of the Month September 2006 April 2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League Rookie of the Month September 2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Baseball Classic MVP 2013 | Succeeded by |
Robinson Canó—awards, championships and honors | |
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| International | |
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| National | |
