Could Robinson Cano be back in Pinstripes in 2019?

The New York Yankees recently acquired the Seattle Mariners left handed ace James Paxton via trade. With Seattle in full fire sale mode, The Yankees entertained a potential reunion with Robinson Cano.

It’s been reporter that the Mariners reached out to both the New York Mets and the Yankees about potentially acquiring Cano. A potential deal with the Bombers would involve Jacoby Ellsbury.

Cano, entering his age 36 season, is set to make 24 million dollars a year for the next five years, could potentially fill some holes for the Yanks. The former All-Star  has the ability to play first or second base, allowing Gleybar Torres to slide to shortstop while Didi Gregorious recovers from offseason Tommy John surgery.

The potential deal was squashed by the Yankees after the Mariners refused to include “significant cash” too offset some of Cano’s onerous contract in the deal.

The deal would’ve involved a swap of two of the biggest contracts in the Major Leagues.

Cano is fresh off an 80 game suspension issued in 2018 for using Performance Enhancing Drugs. The smooth swinging left hander still managed to hit .303, smacking 10 homers in 348 plate appearances. Ellsbury on the other has not lived up to the seven-year $153 million dollar contract he signed in 2014. Ellsbury’s deal also includes a full no trade clause. His time as a Yankee has been anything but eventful. He spent all of last season on the shelf after hip surgery. The former Redsox center fielder is owed $47.2 million dollars over the next two season. His agent Scott Boras expects Ellsbury to be ready for spring training.

Mariners general Manager Jerry Dipoto also contacted the Mets to potentially strike a deal for Cano with the Mets. The potential deal did not gain much traction according to a report.

Dipoto has shipped out the M’s starting catcher Mike Zunino and Ace James Paxton already this off-season. He remains active in the trade market, especially interested in ridding the Mariners of Cano’s contract.

It will be interesting to see if the Yankees and Mariners strike a deal to bring Cano back to the Bronx.