While the New York Yankees and free agent second baseman Robinson Cano are still roughly $80 million apart in negotiations for a new deal and the door is potentially closed on more talking, a new team has emerged as a possible suitor for Cano--the Washington Nationals.
According to ESPN, Cano and the Yankees have not been meeting or talking all that much since their last meeting and the Yankees have been adamant that they will not go into an "Alex Rodriguez-like" contract with their second baseman.
Cano reportedly was demanding a 10-year $310 million contract while owner Hal Steinbrenner said that he isn't willing to go 10-years while team president Randy Levine said they won't pay him anything near $300, creating a stand still.
Jay Z and the rest of Cano's representatives eventually lowered the amount and want a contract similar to the $252 million range that A-Rod got for his pact, but have seemed hesitant to change their stance on demanding a 10-year contract, according to ESPN.
ESPN reports that the Yankees are looking to sign Cano to a seven-year $160 million deal and are willing to bump it up to $170 million and possibly slightly higher if they add one more year, but the team is insistent that it won't bid against themselves and aren't looking to sign Cano to a contract they aren't comfortable with even if another team emerges.
The Nationals could very well prove to be that other team. Insider Paul Swydan wrote that the Nationals make sense as a possible landing spot for Cano.
"Adding Cano to the mix is a move that makes sense for the team on the field and on the balance sheet, and if that wasn't enough, it would be a nice shot in the eye to the rival Atlanta Braves, who currently have a giant question mark at second base in Dan Uggla," Swydan wrote while adding the Nationals don't have too much money committed on their books.
Still, the Nationals being involved is nothing more than speculation and until Cano has another team that legitimately makes him an offer, the Yankees are content with standing by their offer, one which they deem fair.
Cano hit .314 with 27 homers and 107 RBIs last season in New York.
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