MILWAUKEE (AP) — Robinson Canó's short stint with the San Diego Padres is over.
Less than a month after signing him, the Padres parted ways with the veteran slugger, who elected to become a free agent Thursday when he declined an assignment to Triple-A El Paso.
San Diego had hoped the 39-year-old Canó would provide some much-needed offense against right-handed pitching but he batted just .091 (3 for 33) without an extra-base hit in 12 games. He struck out 10 times and had one RBI for the Padres after getting released by the New York Mets last month.
“He had a pretty good at-bat yesterday and it looked like he might have a chance (to turn things around),” manager Bob Melvin said after his team's 5-4 loss to Milwaukee. “But this is a business at times. We’re a little down offensively and we’re trying to create a little more production in our lineup.”
Canó was replaced on San Diego’s active roster by outfielder Nomar Mazara, a former top prospect and productive hitter for Texas who had bounced around with three different organizations the past three years. He was putting up big numbers at El Paso this season, hitting .367 with seven homers, 27 RBIs and a 1.095 OPS.
