New York Mets' second baseman Robinson Cano has been suspended for the entire 2021 season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Cano was previously suspended for 80 games in 2018 after testing positive for furosemide, a diuretic that can mask the presence of PEDs.
Tim Haley of Newsday reported that Cano tested positive for Stanozolol, a synthetic steroid derived from testosterone. According to the United States Anti-Doping Agency, Stanozolol was pulled from the market in 2010 and is classified as a Schedule III controlled substance by the federal government.
"We were extremely disappointed to be informed about Robinson's suspension for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program," Mets president Sandy Alderson said in a statement. "The violation is very unfortunate for him, the organization, our fans, and the sport. The Mets fully support MLB's efforts toward eliminating performance-enhancing substances from the game."
The suspension comes after a bounce-back year for Cano. After playing in just 107 games and hitting a career-low .256 in 2019, Cano batted .316 with ten home runs and 30 RBIs in the shortened 60-game season.
Cano will forfeit his entire salary of $24 million. The 38-year-old will be eligible to return in 2022. He will still have two years and $48 million left on his contract.