It’s been a disappointing second season in Seattle for Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano, but we finally may know one of the reasons he’s struggling – Cano is reportedly dealing with acid reflux, a stomach ailment that came about when Cano was treated with antibiotics for a stomach parasite in October.
Some of the details via USA Today…
Cano was in the midst of his sixth All-Star season last year when he started experiencing stomach discomfort in August. With the Mariners in the playoff chase, he didn’t get it checked until their season was over, in October. Cano said he was told he had a common parasite, which was treated with antibiotics, but he was left with acid reflux to this day.
“It still affects me,” Cano said. “Sometimes you drink water and it makes you feel like vomiting. I can’t eat the same way I did. It’s hard to deal with, especially being the first time this has happened to me. Sometimes I eat only once a day before playing, because I feel full. And you just don’t have the same energy.”
The article also details changes that Cano has made to his diet since the diagnosis, including cutting red meat from his diet.
Cano has also been coping with the death of his grandfather in March.
Ovidio Cano would be the first one to notice his grandson’s offensive fluctuations, keeping a notebook with his stats from every game. After his passing, the younger Cano retained the notebook as a memento, but he no longer has that emotional support.
“He was my No. 1 fan,” Cano said. “If he were alive now, he would call me and say, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Last year you had better numbers. What’s happening? Are you OK?”’
For the Mariners’ sake, hopefully Cano can turn his season around in the second half. He’s shown flashes through five July games, hitting .400/.455/.650. It’s obviously a small sample, but Seattle’s front office and their fans will take what they can get at this point.
