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Robinson Cano 2020 Outlook: Health The Key to Regaining Respectability
The fears of Mets fans were indeed realized when Robinson Cano turned out to be every bit the overpriced, over-the-hill acquisition some had speculated he would become. He was frequently unavailable because of lower body ailments, and when he played, it seemed like his bat speed had slowed and he could simply not get into a groove for any extended period. His Barrel % dipped from 8.7 to 7.4. If Cano can stay healthy this season there is a better chance he can regain respectability as his xSLG was .450, which is down from previous totals (.472 to .507 from 2015 to 2018) yet still over the league average. But at age 37, any sort of setback or interruption in his routines can be a significant detriment to his overall production. Cano said recently that he cannot use health as an excuse for last season, but injuries did hinder him. There was a continuing decline in Cano’s strikeout (13.5 to 16.3) and walk (9.2 to 5.9) rates last season. But his Hard Hit percentage of 45.0 was actually in line with recent norms (43.6 to 45.5 from 2017 back to 2015). There was a sense in the Mets clubhouse that he could still be a strong veteran presence when available, and he will likely remain in the cleanup spot in a lineup that should improve from 13th overall in offense last season. If Cano has better luck with injuries this season, he can hit in the .270-plus range with nearly 20 homers, which would make him a quality piece as a Roto middle infielder. His ADP is 364.86, so he is well worth the flier as a very late selection in 12-team leagues. He is also a viable rebound candidate in NL-only formats.
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