The Seattle Mariners are willing to offer free agent Robinson Cano a 10-year contract worth as much as $240 million, ESPNDeports.com reports.
CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman later reported the Mariners may be prepared to offer Cano $225 million over nine years.
The All-Star second baseman flew to Seattle on Thursday to meet with team executives, the ESPNDeportes.com says.
— SN selects Public Enemy No. 1 for every MLB team
A Mariners source later confirmed to The Seattle Times that Cano and Jay Z, whose Roc Nation agency represents Cano, are headed west to meet with team officials.
Cano's agents recently presented a request for about $260 million over nine years to the New Yankees. The team countered with an offer of $160 million to $175 million over seven years. Since then, they Yankees have agreed to a seven-year, $153 million deal with free agent Jacoby Ellsbury.
SPECTOR: Yankees still have work to do after landing McCann, Ellsbury
The Ellsbury deal doesn't necessarily preclude the Yanks from re-signing the 31-year-old Cano.
Cano has been one of baseball's top players, finishing with a Baseball Reference WAR of at least 7.6 three of the last four seasons. In 2013, he hit .314/.383/.516 with 27 homers and New York's only consistent source of offense. He finished fifth in MVP voting.
The Mariners finished 12th in the AL in runs scored in 2013 and could use Cano's bit bat in the middle of their lineup.
UPDATE: ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick offered this nifty tidbit about Jay Z traveling to Seattle:
Jay-Z has a show at Honda Center in Anaheim at 8 p.m. Friday, so visit with #mariners can't last all day.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 6, 2013