MLB

Cano never asked Yanks for $300M deal: report

Robinson Cano technically wasn’t lying Thursday when he told a Dominican Republic newspaper he never asked the Yankees for $300 million or more.

However, according to a person familiar with the situation that could become toxic, Cano’s representatives, led by neophyte agent Jay Z, opened negotiations during the season with a 10-year request for $310 million. It was an offer quickly rejected by the Yankees, who are the prohibitive favorite to sign the premier free agent.

“No one has heard that from my mouth and never will listen, if you are going to talk about anything other than contract,’’ is the translation of what Cano said Thursday in Santo Domingo where the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team was honored with a ring ceremony for winning last spring’s tournament.

The Yankees countered the $310 million offer with a seven-year pact in the $168 range. They might be willing to extend a year and the dollars but are not going to pay the 31-year-old five-time All-Star $31 million a year.

After Cano’s representatives, minus Jay Z, met with Yankees brass face to face Tuesday and chatted by phone Wednesday, the sides plan to talk again Monday. Cano’s camp came down a little, but a substantial difference remains.