Mark Canha Drawing Trade Interest

Different golf equipment have been calling the Mets concerning the potential availability of outfielder Mark Canha, per ESPN’s Buster Olney, who lists the Mariners as a “attainable match” given Seattle’s prior curiosity within the 34-year-old as a free agent (Twitter link).

Canha is enjoying out the second season of a two-year, $26.5MM deal signed in free company through the 2021-22 offseason. His contract accommodates an $11.5MM membership choice with a $2MM buyout — an efficient $9.5MM web resolution for the Mets or for any workforce that acquires him.

Whereas Canha isn’t hitting for a similar energy he has previously, he’s drawing walks at a sturdy 10.5% clip and having fun with a typically stable season on the plate. None of his charge stats stand out, however his .244/.346/.396 batting line checks in about 11% higher than common, by measure of wRC+. He’s putting out at a lower-than-average 17.3% clip and has additionally swiped seven bases in seven tries. He not often chases pitches off the plate and makes contact on these choices at a effectively above-average charge when he does (69%, in comparison with the league-average 62.5%).

Within the outfield, Canha is greatest deployed in a nook, though he’s seen loads of work in middle all through his profession and nonetheless possesses above-average pace (sixty fifth percentile, per Statcast). Statcast additionally charges his jumps on fly-balls close to the underside of the league in 2023, nevertheless, and his arm power additionally checks in a bit beneath common. Canha additionally has ample expertise at first base, and the Mets have performed him there for 87 innings this season.

Canha is incomes a $10.5MM wage this season, with about $4.12MM of that sum but to be paid out as of this writing. Add within the $2MM buyout, and he’s nonetheless owed a complete of $6.12MM. Nevertheless, Mets proprietor Steve Cohen is the sport’s most keen spender and will doubtlessly improve the return on a commerce by paying that sum down for a commerce accomplice. The Mets did as a lot when buying and selling Eduardo Escobar to the Angels and have been additionally keen to eat the rest of Chris Flexen’s contract with a view to successfully buy righty Trevor Gott from the Mariners.

Talking of Seattle, the M’s make a wise sufficient touchdown spot — in the event that they select so as to add on the deadline. Their offseason addition of veteran outfielder AJ Pollock was meant so as to add a platoon choice within the outfield who may do harm in opposition to left-handed pitching, however it’s been an abject flop up to now. Pollock is hitting .169/.222/.315 and has really hit lefties worse than righties.

Canha isn’t a pure lefty masher — his profession platoon splits are nearer to even — however he’s been stable in opposition to southpaws in 2023. Granted, his .228 common when holding the platoon benefit is sub-par, however he’s getting on base at a robust .347 clip and slugging .418 when dealing with a lefty. That’s been par for the course in his profession; he’s a lifetime .236/.327/.425 hitter in opposition to southpaws.

The Mets have arguably been essentially the most disappointing workforce in MLB this season, sitting 5 video games beneath .500 — 16.5 again within the division and 7 again within the Wild Card race — regardless of an MLB-record payroll in extra of $300MM. Cohen said late last month, when his Mets have been 36-43, that he “wouldn’t add” to the roster if his workforce was in an identical place on the deadline, calling it “foolish” to take action.

New York is 9-7 in that point, together with three straight wins, however they’ll doubtless have to rattle off just a few extra wins earlier than even giving reliable consideration to including items on the deadline. Within the meantime, short-term belongings like Canha, Tommy Pham, David Robertson and Adam Ottavino will doubtless proceed to be the main target of potential commerce inquiries.