Mets Trade Rumors: Robinson Cano A Possibility For New York If Seattle Mariners Take Jay Bruce?

It isn’t often that the New York Mets are linked to a player that makes a lot of money, but we seem to have stumbled upon one of those rare occasions. According to the latest trade rumors, the organization is looking into acquiring Robinson Cano.

SNY.tv’s Andy Martino has reported that a rival executive said the Mets are being “aggressive” in their pursuit of the second baseman. The Athletic reported Monday that the Seattle Mariners reached out to both the New York Yankees and Mets about a potential deal involving Cano.

Martino believes a trade is a long shot, but he suggested the Mets could land Cano in an effort to get rid of Jay Bruce or possibly acquire Mariners’ closer Edwin Diaz. Cano is set to make $24 million per year over the next five seasons. Bruce is owed $13 million in each of the next two seasons, and Diaz won’t become a free agent until after the 2022 season.

Seattle has made it clear that they are willing to trade many of their best players at the right price. They’ve already sent James Paxton to the Yankees. It might be much more difficult for a team to pry Diaz from the Mariners, considering he’s so productive and under the team’s control at a more than reasonable price for the near future.

Diaz, 24, led MLB with 57 saves in 2018. He posted a 1.96 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP and 124 strikeouts in 73.1 innings.

Bruce, 31, hit .223/.310/.370 with nine home runs in 94 games with the Mets last season. Seattle would likely consider taking on his salary if it meant getting off of Cano’s contract.

The Mariners reportedly discussed a Cano-for-Jacoby Ellsbury swap with the Yankees. Like Bruce, Ellsbury is signed for another two years, though he’ll earn $8 million more per season than the Mets’ outfielder. New York and Seattle weren’t able to come to an agreement because the Yankees didn’t want to pay all of Cano’s contract.

Cano played for the Yankees from 2005-2013 before signing with the Mariners as a free agent. He was a five-time All-Star with four top-six MVP finishes with New York.

Before being suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance last season, Cano hit .303/.374/.471. The 36-year-old was an All-Star in 2017 and finished eighth in the 2016 AL MVP race.

New York is also reportedly considering trade offers for Noah Syndergaard. During an appearance with WFAN’s “Joe & Evan” Wednesday, Fancred’s Jon Heyman guessed that the odds of the pitcher being traded are 51 percent.