According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Detroit Tigers have received trade interest throughout the league for veteran bat Mark Canha. Passan described Canha’s trade market as “robust” and indicated the Tigers should be able to move him by next Tuesday.
Many reports have painted the Tigers as deadline sellers over the past couple of weeks. The most intrigue will surround the team’s young ace. However, Detroit possesses some solid veterans that should draw interest throughout the league.
Mark Canha Is Generating Plenty of Trade Interest
Canha, 35, has struggled this year after starting the season strong. In 358 plate appearances, he has hit .236/.341/.361 (98 OPS+) with seven home runs and 17 doubles. In typical Canha fashion, the first baseman/outfielder has produced a great walk rate and a solid strikeout rate.
Unfortunately, his slugging has taken a serious step back. His .361 slugging percentage would represent a full-season career low. Perhaps most staggering is that Canha’s underlying metrics indicate his lack of power is well deserved.
The veteran ranks among the worst in the league in metrics like Average Exit Velocity, Barrel percentage, Hard-Hit rate, Launch Angle Sweet Spot percentage, and Bat Speed.
One might argue that Canha’s struggles stem from the notorious pitcher-friendly nature of Detriot’s home ballpark. However, the stadium’s impact is more likely to be seen on statistics like slugging percentage, not on metrics grading contact quality.
5 strikeouts in a row, and #Tigers LF Mark Canha draws a seven-pitch walk.
He may not score and it will only go in the box score as "1 BB," but the value of a veteran like that is immeasurable.
— Matt Broder (@mattbro21) April 13, 2024
Despite the struggles, the Tigers should be able to trade Canha because he can still provide value to his team. First, he carries a reputation for taking high-quality, professional at-bats. Not only is that seen in his walk and strikeout rates, but also through an excellent chase rate.
Additionally, the right-handed Canha has mashed lefty pitching (.299/.415/.478 (150 wRC+) in 82 plate appearances) this year. The numbers drop significantly against right-handers in a bigger sample size.
That said, Canha has not struggled against righties throughout his career. At some point, a team must determine whether his 2024 numbers are flukes or the beginning of a new trend as he progresses through his mid-to-late thirties.
How Canha Fits A New Team
Luckily for the Tigers, that search will take place this winter, not right now. Canha is owed the remainder of his $11.5 million salary for the remainder of the season and will hit free agency this winter. So, a team that trades for Canha at the deadline only has to worry about his production for the rest of this season.
At that point, a new team will be happy to acquire a platoon bat that takes quality at-bats. Canha won’t carry an offense at this stage in his career. Canha is most impactful in a role where he can serve as a complementary piece that supports the real stars or focal points of an offense.
"Since I got here, I've just been so impressed with the young talent."
Outfielder Mark Canha joins #MLBTonight prior to @Tigers #OpeningDay to talk about being a leader on a team full of budding stars. pic.twitter.com/4Pe5gfDfeB
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 28, 2024
The Tigers lack that offensive star power that Canha elevates so well. But, hopefully, his new team won’t, which would allow him to lengthen the lineup with quality at-bats every time he steps to the plate.
Postseason baseball is all about holding the upper hand in as many matchups as possible. A team that trades for Canha will receive the guarantee of a quality at-bat potentially in a favorable matchup.
Main Photo: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
