The Mariners made the kind of splash they’ve wanted for nearly a decade. They reached agreement with Robinson Cano, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday.
ESPN reported earlier Friday that the contract was worth $240 million for 10 years.
The person told the AP that the deal was pending a physical that had not yet been scheduled. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement.
Music mogul Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation has partnered with CAA Baseball to represent Cano, was in Seattle for talks that began Thursday. Agent Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA Baseball and Juan Perez of Roc Nation Sports also were in attendance.
The 31-year-old Cano had spent his entire career with the Yankees and was a five-time All-Star. He hit .314 with 27 homers and 107 RBIs last season.
The Yankees had offered $175 million over seven years. Cano goes from a team that has missed the playoffs only twice in 19 years to a club that hasn’t been in the postseason since 2001.
“He was a great Yankee. He was a great player. I think everybody tried hard to get the deal done. We just never got close enough obviously. We wish him the best. We hope he has a long, healthy career,” Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said.
(Photo: AP)
