For just under a decade, the New York Mets had to watch their city rivals reap the benefits of having one of the best second baseman in the league.
Robinson Cano was a huge part of the New York Yankees' success during that time period, getting selected to five All-Star Games, earning five Silver Sluggers and two Gold Glove awards.
He was one of the best players in the game, finishing top-five in AL MVP voting three times and inside the top-10 four times.
The Mets got a piece of Cano when they traded for him in a seven person deal that brought the slugging second baseman over with Edwin Diaz in exchange for Jay Bruce, Jarred Kelenic, Anthony Swarzak, Gerson Bautista, and Justin Dunn.
New York probably should have seen the writing on the wall for what was coming next.
The only reason they got him was because Cano served a 60-game suspension while with the Seattle Mariners after testing positive for Furosemide, something that violated the MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy.
That was four seasons into the 10-year, $240 million contract he signed with the Mariners in free agency ahead of 2014.
Prior to the suspension, the slugger was still a productive player.
He was selected to the All-Star Game three times and finished inside the top-10 in AL MVP voting twice.
The Mets probably figured this was a chance worth taking.
However, he put together the worst season of his career in 2019, his first with New York, and was suspended 162-games following his productive 2020 campaign after testing positive for Stanozolol.
He was eventually released in 2022, marking the end of his tenure with a slash line of .269/.315/.450, only 24 home runs and 72 RBI.
Cano played for two other teams that year, but has not played in the MLB since.
Now, according to Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors, the 41-year-old has decided to sign with the Diablos Rojos of the Mexican League to continue his playing career.
The best thing that happened for the Mets in the Cano deal was getting their current superstar closer Diaz, who is expected to be a major factor in 2024.
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