Mets have a chance to help correct Brodie Van Wagenen's biggest flop

Everybody’s heard about the bird and hopefully all New York Mets fans are now fully aware that on May 2 the team will need to make two roster changes. MLB rosters go from 28 to 26. This puts the Mets in a bit of a pickle with their position players.

Laid out fully with their five best options here, veteran infielder Robinson Cano is the most costly decision for the Mets.

From the moment he joined the club in former general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s first big swing of the winter, Cano has been held under a microscope and scrutinized. Understandably so, he missed half of the 2018 season due to a PED suspension only to get caught again and miss the 2021 with his second big slap on the wrist. In deciding what to do with their roster, the Mets have to heavily consider releasing Cano.

The Mets have given Robinson Cano plenty of chances already this season and he has come up short

Through 43 trips to the plate, Cano is hitting .195/.233/.268. A home run during the team’s home opener on April 15 accounted for his lone extra base hit. He has had only four hits since, all of which were singles.

The Mets have been aggressive about putting Cano in the starting lineup despite fans crying foul. Cano has played seven games at second base and has been the DH another five times—tying him for the team lead heading into action on Sunday.

Completely unneeded especially with Jeff McNeil returning to form this season, Cano is an expensive part-time player whose time in the major leagues looks to be over.

Mets fans haven’t been shy about voicing their displeasure with Cano throughout his tenure with the club. He did earn back a little respect for hitting so well in the shortened 2020 campaign only to lose it and more when he tested positive for PEDs in November. It was actually the best thing that could happen for the club with his salary reduced down to nothing because of the suspension.

So far under Steve Cohen, the Mets have flexed their financial muscle by adding the players they believed they needed at a reasonable yet high price. They aren’t out there signing all of the big ticket free agents. Above everything, they are making wise baseball moves.

The wisest move they can make before Monday’s game is to say farewell to Cano. A remaining centerpiece of the Van Wagenen regime, it’s about time the franchise moves on and continues down the path they’re on. The clock is ticking.

And while this won't bring back any of the players the Mets traded away, it does free up the roster spot. The money has already been wasted. All the team can hope to do now is move forward with the best players they have available.