Robinson Cano on Saturday played in his first Minor League Baseball game (excluding rehab assignments) since 2005, and he did so in style.
Cano signed a minor-league deal with the San Diego Padres on Friday. He reported to the team’s Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas, for Saturday’s game. The team was celebrating Nickelodeon Night at their home ballpark, meaning that Cano had to wear a SpongeBob SquarePants jersey along with his teammates.
Here’s a closer look at Cano in his SpongeBob jersey.
The uniform looked pretty funny on Cano, a former World Series champion and eight-time All-Star, but it didn’t seem to affect his play on the field. The 39-year-old hit a bloop RBI single to center field in the bottom of the first inning to give the Chihuahuas a 3-0 lead.
The Padres initially signed Cano to a major-league contract in mid-May. He was released after hitting .091 with three hits and one RBI in 12 games. The Padres had reportedly asked Cano to play in the minors, but he declined and opted to become a free agent.
Prior to signing his deal with the Padres, Cano was designated for assignment by the New York Mets in early May. He missed the 2021 season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Cano hit just .195 with one home run and three RBIs in 12 games for the Mets in 2022.
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