Mark Canha surprised by yesterday’s trade to the Detroit Tigers from the Brewers.
The Detroit Tigers have added a new outfielder to their roster with the acquisition of Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for minor-league reliever Blake Holub. According to Canha, he was caught by surprise when he learned that he would be joining Detroit while awaiting their decision on whether to exercise the $11.5 million option they held for him for the 2024 season.
Mark Canha split last year between New York and Milwaukee
Mark Canha, who is now 35 years old, was initially drafted by the Miami Marlins in the seventh round of the 2010 Draft but did not have the opportunity to play for them. He was later selected by the Oakland Athletics in the Rule 5 Draft.
In 2021, he signed a multi-year contract with the New York Mets, where he played until this past July when he was traded to the Brewers. During the last season, he posted a batting average of .262 with 11 home runs in 507 plate appearances. He’s hit 113 home runs with 417 RBI in his career and is now a member of the Detroit Tigers.
He expressed surprise at the news of being dealt to the Detroit Tigers
Canha admitted that he was uncertain about whether the Brewers would exercise his option for the upcoming 2024 season and that he wasn’t anticipating a trade.
“I knew there was a chance it could go either way,” Canha said in a Zoom interview Sunday morning. “My agent and I talked and leading up to (Saturday) we had seriously, like no idea what was going to happen. We kind of saw it as a coin flip.”
“That was more of a surprise,” Canha said of the deal. “I didn’t expect that. I didn’t even think of that as an option.”
However, he expressed excitement at the prospect of joining the Detroit Tigers and embracing a fresh challenge.
“It’s not a bad thing at all,” he said. “It’s an exciting thing and it also takes the mystery and anticipation away from the offseason. You never know how long that process is going to drag out. So I do really like the fact that the decision has been made. It’s nice to have your future and all that taken care of and taken off the table.”
He also spoke highly of Tigers president Scott Harris, who has been a fan of his playing style for “a while now.”
“Talking to Scott, it sounds like he’s admired my game for a while now,” Canha said. “It’s nice to hear that. It’s nice to be wanted. It’s nice to have someone who appreciates me for who I am. I think I’m a unique type of player that fits a certain niche that a lot of people aren’t fans of.
“I might not be as well-known as a lot of other players, but I think Scott knows the kind of player I am...It’s nice to come into a situation where everyone knows me well and knows what to expect and is a fan of me,” Canha said. “Both expressed a lot of respect for the type of player I am and that’s always really nice.”
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- The Detroit Tigers acquired outfielder Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade yesterday.
- According to Canha, the trade took him by surprise, but it was a pleasant surprise, and he’s enthusiastic about the new challenge.
- Canha also expressed gratitude toward Tigers president Scott Harris, who has been a fan of his playing style for some time now.
Bottom Line: How will Canha perform in 2024?
As Harris explained yesterday, one of the offseason goals for the Tigers was to add a right-handed hitter to the lineup. It’s also beneficial that Canha brings his veteran experience from 925 career MLB games, which can be valuable for mentoring the younger players on the team.
How do you anticipate him performing in his first year with the Tigers in 2024?
