time with the is over. , the day teams must trim their rosters from 28 players to 26. New York opted to keep , , and rather than send one to Triple-A and hang onto Can. "Robbie absolutely still wants to play. Given the right situation, he
J.R. Smith Jersey can still make a meaningful contribution for a team," Can's agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, . "Robbie is a true profe sional with a great deal of respect for the organization. He understands they had a tough decision to make. He wishes them well going forward." Now 39, Can went 8 for 41 (.195) with one home run in 12 games this season prior to being dropped from the roster. He served a 162-game performance-enhancing drug suspension last season and the Mets gave Can some time to show whether there was still anything left in the tank this year. The answer appears to be no, so they moved on. ATL 2B #22 The Mets owe Can $20.25 million in salary this season and next (the also owe him $3.75 million each year) and that money is guaranteed. Can still gets paid even after the Mets release him. And he will be released. No team will claim Can on waivers because a waiver claim would mean a suming his entire contract. Once he is released, any team can sign Can for the prorated portion of the $700,000 league minimum. It may seem unlikely Can will hook on elsewhere, but the same was said about after the released him last season, and he landed with the very deep and very good . Which teams could have interest in Can at the league minimum once he hits the open market in a few days? Here are 11 po sibilities in alphabetical order. CBS Sports HQ Newsletter Your Ultimate Guide to Every Day in Sports We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. The . plan in right field isn't working (Boston's right fielders are hitting .156/.224/.221 this year) and the Red Sox could put in the outfield full-time, clearing DH at-bats for Can. That's
LeBron James Jersey a convoluted plan for potentially no return, though the Red Sox rank 24th in baseball with 3.52 runs scored per game. Something has to give, offensively. Already six different players have started a game at DH for the ChiSox and the revolving door only figures to continue in the wake of 's injury. Can could fill that spot full-time, provide balance to a very right-handed lineup, and maybe provide a little spark to a White Sox team that is 2-11 in its last 13 games and ranks 25th in baseball with 3.29 runs scored per game. , Cleveland's regular DH, is in the middle of a brutal slump: 1 for 28 (.036) with 18 strikeouts. He hit .254/.324/.522 with 30 home runs a year ago, however, and I don't get the sense the Guardians are ready to give the reins to someone else. Can does fit into their budget (i.e. one of the smallest in the league), however. The Dodgers signed Pujols last year. Would they sign Can this year? Their bench isn't as strong as in previous seasons and hasn't been himself so far in 2022. If Can wants to chase a ring,
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Jersey this is the place to go, but it takes two to tango and I'm not sure Los Angeles will have interest. Perhaps this will change following , but the Marlins have been Yankees South the last few years. They have countle s former Yankees players and personnel in their front office, on their coaching staff, on the roster, etc. Can would be more of the same. That said, signing Can would mean one of , , , and would be on the bench each day, and I'd bet against that happening. The Twins have used 10 -- 10!
Los Angeles Lakers Hats -- different players at DH through 22 games. Only once all year has the same player started back-to-back games at DH. Minnesota uses a full-blown DH rotation. They could sign Can and add him to the mix rather than give him the job full-time, though I imagine Can will look to join a team that is willing to give him a lot of playing time. What about a return to the Bronx? It seems very unlikely with and sharing DH duty, and and sharing second base. Then again, Torres hasn't been particularly impactful the last few years, and Can might jump at the chance to suit up for a team that a) has baseball's best record, b) plays in a ballpark that is friendly to lefty hitters, and c) he's very familiar with. Never say never! The A's are beginning to fade after a strong start to the season. They've gotten nothing from the DH position (.136/.220/.259), and if they were interested in fielding a respectable team, maybe they'd take a leagu-minimum roll of the dice on Can. It seems the last thing ownership cares about right now is respectability though, so let's call this unlikely. 's injury has created an opening at DH, which the Padres have filled with a revolving door for the time being. GM AJ Preller is nothing if not aggre sive, and San Diego's strong start has them sitting in
Magic Johnson Jersey a virtual tie for first place in the NL West. This is not the time to rest on your laurels. If Preller believes Can has something left in the tank, he could act quick. A sneaky-good fit. The Rays rotate players through the DH spot and they've gotten solid production from the position this year (.284/.356/.407). Can would give them yet another option and he wouldn't cost much money. With starting the season slowly, Tampa is short on difference-making lefty bats. As a platoon DH, Can could fit with the Rays. Po sibly the best fit. has cooled following his quick start and the Blue Jays are very short on lefty bats. It's Collins, , , and when he comes off the COVID list. That's it for lefties. Toronto has rotated guys through the DH spot for much of the season and Can would fit as a bottom-of-the-lineup complementary piece. I think this is the most likely outcome. Pujols got a job last year because he still had a valuable skill (crushing lefties). I'm not sure Can has that now. Also, even though Can has been a popular teammate throughout his career, not many clubs are willing to deal with the headache of a two-time PED-suspended guy. Not when he's nearing the end of the line. I'd put my money on retirement (or a forced retirement, more accurately).
