Cano gets his first day off
ATLANTA – Saturday is Robinson Cano’s first day off of the season – and he hates it. If it was up to the veteran second baseman, he would play all 162 games for the Mets.
“I don’t like days off but sometimes you have to go with it,” Cano said. “As long as I feel healthy and I feel good, I know I can contribute to help this team win, I want to go out there every day.”
A workhorse in its purest form, Cano has played at least 150 games in 11 of his 14 bigleague seasons.
Mets skipper Mickey Callaway revealed on Friday that fans will see some players getting a day off for Saturday’s night game against the Braves that “should be shocking.”
The big reveal included a lineup that featured Jeff McNeil playing second base in place of Cano. Catcher Wilson Ramos also earned an off-day and Travis d’Arnaud started his second game of the season behind the plate.
Finally, Brandon Nimmo was sidelined for a Mets outfield
that advertised Keon Broxton, Juan Lagares and Michael Conforto on Saturday.
Callaway said the lineup modifications were due, in part, to Braves left-handed pitcher Sean Newcomb toeing the rubber on Saturday. In an effort to remove left-handed hitters from the batting order, Cano and Nimmo took a seat.
The other reasoning was the Mets laborious road schedule. They’re playing a stretch of nine games across three cities in Atlanta, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Days off for some everyday players were a requirement.
“We started getting (McNeil) work there about three or four days ago,” Callaway said. “He feels totally comfortable. He’s been taking some ground balls there the last few days. A day off for Cano at least part of the game and I think it’ll help us get through the rest of this road trip.”
Cano said the Mets told him about his day off well in advance of Saturday. The second baseman said he found out about it in during the Mets third home game against the Nationals on Sunday, which also gave McNeil ample time to prepare.
McNeil, though, played 54 games at second base in the second half of last season for the Mets. He slashed .329/ .373/.479 with three home runs, 19 RBI, 11 doubles, six triples with 33 runs scored in those games. Thus, it doesn’t take the 27-year-old too much time to get ready for the switch.
Despite Cano’s early-season slump, he said he feels good at the plate. The 36-yearold enters Saturday batting .182 (10-for-55) with two homers, two doubles, six RBI, four walks and 13 strikeouts over his first 13 games.
Cano said he doesn’t feel lost at the plate, in which case he’d be worried about his