{"id":105624,"date":"2025-08-06T23:26:21","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T03:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=105624"},"modified":"2025-08-06T23:26:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T03:26:21","slug":"it-might-be-time-pirates-cut-ties-alexander-canario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/08\/06\/it-might-be-time-pirates-cut-ties-alexander-canario\/","title":{"rendered":"It Might Be Time for Pirates to Cut Ties with Outfielder"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent days, outfielder Alexander Canario<\/a> has almost become a forgotten man on the Pittsburgh Pirates. It\u2019s reaching the point where one wonders whether it makes sense to continue this relationship. It may be time to cut ties and promote a minor league prospect.<\/p>\n

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Jun 19, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Alexander Canario (29) receives congratulations from outfielder Billy Cook (25) after scoring in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s Not Working Out Between Pirates, Alexander Canario<\/h2>\n

Since June 28, Canario has appeared in just 11 games for the Pirates. He started five of those games. In three more games, he entered late during a blowout to rest a regular. In another game, he was used as a pinch runner. Canario is 1-for-21 during that stretch, although he also walked four times and somehow managed two RBI. He\u2019s seen his averages drop to .205\/.277\/.304.<\/p>\n

At one time, it appeared that manager Don Kelly<\/a> had a more prominent role in mind for Canario. When Kelly took the managerial reins on May 9, his first lineup card had Tommy Pham<\/a> penciled in as the left fielder. However, Kelly saw something he liked in Canario\u2019s pregame batting practice and subbed him in<\/a> for Pham, who was struggling at the time. Canario promptly made his new manager look like a genius. In his first plate appearance, he hit an opposite-field home run off Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder<\/a> at PNC Park.<\/p>\n

Kelly decided to ride the hot hand and kept Canario in the Pirates lineup almost every day for the rest of the month. Canario responded by going 20-for-60 with another home run from May 10-27. Subsequently, the hits stopped coming, and by the end of June, Canario was a forgotten man.<\/p>\n

A Good Idea at the Time<\/h3>\n

Canario went to spring training with the Chicago Cubs, who acquired him and pitcher Caleb Kilian<\/a> in the 2021 trade deadline deal<\/a> that sent Kris Bryant<\/a> to the San Francisco Giants. (See that, Pirates fans? Your favorite team isn\u2019t the only one that makes bad prospect trades.) The Cubs designated Canario for assignment in February and traded him to the New York Mets for cash considerations. However, before he even appeared in a game for the Mets, they, too, designated him for assignment. On March 31, the Mets traded<\/a> Canario to the Pirates for cash considerations. (At one time, these types of transactions were described as purchases. Today, they\u2019re trades for \u201ccash considerations.\u201d Just like the automobile dealership traded me a car for \u201ccash considerations\u201d \u2013 not.)<\/p>\n

Although fans ridicule these kinds of \u201ctrades,\u201d it was a low-risk move that made sense. Canario had a good minor league record. He hit .243\/.336\/.514, 18 HR, and 47 RBI in 64 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2024. In 21 games with the Cubs from 2023-24, Canario went 12-for-42 with two home runs, including a grand slam against the Pirates and current teammate Kyle Nicolas<\/a> in his fifth major league at-bat.<\/p>\n