Major League Baseball

2B Cano out of Yankees' lineup with stiff neck

Published Aug. 16, 2012 12:31 a.m. ET

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Robinson Cano is being held out of the New York Yankees' lineup for their game against the Texas Rangers because of a stiff neck.

The Yankees made the announcement about 90 minutes before the start of Wednesday night's game and not long after Cano expressed sadness over the suspension of his close friend and Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera for a positive drug test.

''I was 100 percent surprised,'' Cano said of Cabrera's 50-game ban for testing positive for testosterone.

The All-Star second baseman is batting .311 with 25 homers and 68 RBIs, but has just one hit in his past 15 at-bats and is hitless in the first two games against Texas. Jayson Nix replaced Cano at second base.

Cano said he learned of Cabrera's suspension while sitting at his locker and watching TV in the clubhouse. He and Cabrera came up together in 2005 and played five seasons together in New York, winning a World Series in 2009. The pair often worked out together in the offseason in the Dominican Republic.

''He was having a great year, Cano said. ''He's my friend. I'm going to be there for him.''

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