Page 23 - AT

A23
SPORTS Tuesday 4 december 2018
Mets get Cano, Diaz and cash from Mariners in 7-player trade

NEW YORK (AP) — Aiming Cano.
for an instant upgrade af- Cano served an 80-game
ter two failing seasons, the suspension this year fol-
New York Mets and their lowing a positive test for
rookie general manager Furosemide, a diuretic
turned to a most familiar that can be used to mask
face. performance-enhancing
The Mets made a splash — drugs. Cano claimed the
that much was certain — Furosemide was given to
when they acquired eight- him by a licensed doctor
time All-Star second base- in the Dominican Repub-
man Robinson Cano and lic. The suspension was an-
major league saves leader nounced May 15, two days
Edwin Diaz from the Seattle after Cano's right hand was
Mariners in a seven-player broken when he was hit by
trade Monday. a pitch thrown by Detroit's
In his first big move as Mets Blaine Hardy.
GM, Brodie Van Wagenen Cano returned to the Mari-
brought the 36-year-old ners on Aug. 14 and finished
Cano back to New York. with a .303 batting aver-
Van Wagenen previously age, 10 homers and 50 RBIs
was an agent and repre- in 80 games. He waived his
sented the former Yankees no-trade clause to return to
slugger. New York.
The rebuilding Mariners also Van Wagenen was co-
sent $20 million to the Mets head of CAA Baseball be-
for outfielder Jay Bruce, re- fore joining the Mets in Oc-
liever Anthony Swarzak and tober and negotiated Ca-
three prospects: former no's contract with Seattle in
first-round draft picks Justin December 2013. Cano has
Dunn and Jarred Kelenic, a .304 career batting aver-
plus right-hander Gerson age with 311 homers and
Bautista. 1,233 RBIs, including four
Mets fans were strongly split 100-RBI seasons. He has a
on the deal. career .848 OPS, including
Some applauded the trade an .845 mark last season.
as a chance for a team Diaz's value may never
three years removed from have been higher after the
the World Series to quickly hard-throwing 24-year-old
head back in that direc- topped the majors with 57
tion. The Mets went 77-85 saves last season. The Mets
this year despite a rotation needed a closer after trad-
that included NL Cy Young ing Jeurys Familia to Oak-
Award winner Jacob de- land last July.
Grom, Noah Syndergaard The Mariners are complete-
and Zack Wheeler. ly revamping their roster this
Others saw the Mets mort- offseason, having already
gaging their future for a traded ace James Paxton In this Sept. 22, 2018, file photo, Seattle Mariners' Robinson Cano watches his double against the
high-priced player on the to the Yankees. Seattle also Texas Rangers during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas.
back end of his career. traded All-Star shortstop
Many Mets rooters remem- Jean Segura and pitch- across the four major pro abled list twice, from April ble-A.
bered deals for aging sec- ers James Pazos and Juan American sports. After fin- 1 through June 4 due to a MLB.com slotted Kelenic
ond basemen Carlos Baer- Nicasio to Philadelphia on ishing third in the AL West strained left oblique and as the No. 2 prospect in
ga and Roberto Alomar Jr. Monday for veteran slug- despite an 89-73 record, from Aug. 4 through Sept. Seattle's system and Dunn
that didn't work out — it ger Carlos Santana and the Mariners decided to go 8 with right shoulder inflam- at No. 3. They're behind
was also mentioned that young infielder J.P. Craw- in another direction. mation. left-hander Justus Sheffield,
on this date, Dec. 3, back ford. Bruce, a three-time All-Star Bruce is owed $13 million in who was acquired from the
in 1969, the Mets traded "This trade bolsters our play- with Cincinnati who is 31, each of the next two sea- Yankees last month for Pax-
soon-to-be star center er development system was acquired by the Mets sons, and Swarzak is due $9 ton.
fielder Amos Otis to Kansas with the additions of Jarred at the 2016 trade deadline, million in the final season of Bautista, a 23-year-old
City for washout third base- Kelenic and Justin Dunn, dealt to Cleveland in Au- his two-year deal. right-hander, made his big
man Joe Foy. while also providing imme- gust 2017, became a free Kelenic, a 19-year-old out- league debut with the Mets
Van Wagenen, Cano and diate impact to our major agent and returned to the fielder, was the sixth over- last April and had a 12.46
Diaz were set to talk about league club," Mariners GM Mets last January. He hit all selection this year and ERA in five big league ap-
the deal Tuesday during a Jerry Dipoto said in a state- .223 this year and set ca- hit .286 with six homers, pearances. He was 4-1 with
holiday party at Citi Field. ment. reer lows with nine homers 42 RBIs and 15 steals in 56 a 5.14 ERA in 37 games at
Cano is halfway through a Diaz had a 1.96 ERA and and 37 RBIs, sidelined from games of rookie ball. Dunn, Double-A and Triple-A, strik-
$240 million, 10-year con- struck out 124 in 73 1/3 in- June 18 through Aug. 24 by a 23-year-old right-hander, ing out 69 in 49 innings.
tract. With the cash from nings. a right hip issue. was the 19th overall pick Seattle will pay $5 million to
Seattle, the Mets will be Seattle has not reached Swarzak, 33, was 0-2 with a in 2016 and was 8-8 with a the Mets this Dec. 21 and
responsible for $100 million the playoffs since 2001, the 6.15 ERA in 29 relief appear- 3.59 ERA this year over 24 $3.75 million on each Dec.
of the $120 million owed to longest postseason drought ances. He was on the dis- starts at Class A and Dou- 1 from 2019-22.q