San Diego Padres signal veteran infielder Robinson Cano

Veteran infielder Robinson Cano has signed with the San Diego Padres, it was introduced Friday.

The New York Mets released the 39-year-old Cano on Sunday after designating him for task every week earlier. He was not within the Padres’ lineup for Friday’s 11-6 win over the Atlanta Braves.

The Padres plan to make use of Cano, 39, as a left-handed bat off the bench. Appearing supervisor Ryan Christenson mentioned he might get some occasional begins at second base and designated hitter.

“I’ve received so much left within the tank,” Cano mentioned. “I do know I can nonetheless play this recreation and simply exit on prime.”

Coming into Thursday’s video games, Padres designated hitters have been batting .206 with two house runs and 12 RBIs this season. Each house runs got here through Luke Voit, who bats right-handed, in Wednesday’s 7-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

When Cano performs second base, it could transfer Jake Cronenworth to shortstop and Ha-Seong Kim to the bench.

Kim is batting .200/.326/.388, and there’s extra want at shortstop due to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s wrist damage and since prime prospect C.J. Abrams was optioned again to the minor leagues after struggling earlier this season.

Cano sat out final season whereas serving his second suspension for performance-enhancing medicine. He batted .195 (8-for-41) this season with one house run, three RBIs and a .501 OPS in 43 plate appearances for the Nationwide League East-leading Mets.

He’s owed $44,703,297 by the Mets from the rest of the 10-year, $240 million contract he signed with the Seattle Mariners. He has misplaced $35,741,935 due to the 2 drug suspensions.

He’ll earn a prorated share of the $700,000 minimal with the Padres.

Cano, who was acquired in a multiplayer commerce with the Mariners that additionally despatched nearer Edwin Diaz to New York, ended up taking part in 168 video games for the Mets, batting .269 with 24 homers, 72 RBIs and a .765 OPS.

An eight-time All-Star, Cano has a .302 profession batting common with 335 house runs, 1,305 RBIs and an .842 OPS in 17 seasons. He has 2,632 hits, together with 571 doubles.

In a corresponding roster transfer, the Padres optioned right-hander Dinelson Lamet to Triple-A El Paso.

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and The Related Press contributed to this report.