Dealing a potential ace such as James Paxton was not all that difficult for Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto. Neither, in a market starved for catching, was moving Mike Zunino. But trading second baseman Robinson Canó might be the ultimate challenge for the hyperactive Dipoto, who probably spent Thanksgiving trying to fleece his nephews out of their favorite sides.



Canó will play next season at 36. He served an 80-game suspension last season for violating baseball’s joint drug policy. His contract includes a full no-trade clause. And — ahem! — he is owed $120 million over the next five seasons. But as Dipoto “reimagines” his roster, he isn’t simply mulling the idea of moving Canó. He’s actively trying to do it, and the Yankees and Mets are two of the teams he has contacted about a trade, according to major-league sources.



A return to New York almost certainly would appeal to Canó, who played...