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This article is part of a series evaluating potential free agent and trade acquisitions for the Arizona Diamondbacks entering the 2025 season.
Mark Canha, OF/1B, 36 years old
Canha is a veteran outfielder who is now entering his 11th year in the league. We discussed him as a potential fit earlier this winter as a first baseman, but with the Diamondbacks' developments through the offseason, he could still make sense.
As a right-handed bat he would fit in well in Arizona's left-hand dominant lineup, and give good versatility with his ability to play first base as well.
Pros
Platoon potential
The Diamondbacks found great success in 2024 with a DH platoon and Canha could benefit from something similar. Last season the righty hit to a 124 wRC+ against southpaws compared to just a 94 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers.
Pavin Smith is currently lined up as the club's DH from the left side. He would, like Canha, benefit from a partner to optimize matchups. The veteran outfielder was able to do that much damage against lefties in over 200 fewer plate appearances. In Arizona this playing time would certainly change.
Walks
One of Canha's greatest strengths is his eye at the plate. While strikes out slightly less than league average, 20.8 K% in 2024 versus league average 22.6%, his walk rate last season was a great 11%. That's significantly better than the league average 8.2%. This kind of plate discipline is a large part of what made the Diamondbacks' lineup so potent last season, and Canha could help to replicate this production.
Walks have always been a part of the right-handers game, always coming close to the 10% marker if not far exceeding it. This goes back to 2018 where he truly found his way at the plate and became the Mark Canha of today.
Cons
Lack of power
While he wouldn't be a pure DH, Canha would certainly still be expected to hit like one. Along with that comes some level of power, and in that department he is certainly lacking.
Now a veteran, he has seen his power numbers decline steadily over the past few seasons. 2024 was another step back with only 7 home runs on the year, none of which came after his trade to San Fransisco in the second half.
The Diamondbacks have a strong offense and do have a good amount of pop in their lineup. This, however, dosen't mean that they can afford to overlook it when searching for their right-handed outfielder/DH.
Age
While this isn't necessarily a critique of Canha's game, it still needs to be pointed out that the outfielder is now entering his age 36 season. With 10 seasons already under his belt and bidding for an 11th he can bring a lot of positive experience with him.
With old age in a ballplayer comes some risk. Injuries and underperformance can seemingly strike at any moment. Players who seemed to be models of consistency suddenly fall off a cliff. Canha is no different and won't be evaluated as such.
A strong second half in 2024 will help him to find a home next season, but it was his first year since 2017 with an OPS+ under 100 in a full season. This will reasonably raise some red flags in front offices around the league looking for additional offense.
Conclusion
Mark Canha would be a fine addition to the Diamondbacks' lineup. His ability to slot in to their platoon system is incredibly appealing and could help him overcome last years struggles. His walk rates are still solid and point to a strong approach at the plate.
Still, he is an aging player who brings very little in terms of power at the dish. Mike Hazen and the D-backs' front office team will decide who to bring in to round out the lineup, and if that player is Canha there are plenty of reasons to be excited for his addition.
Related Content:
Diamondbacks 2024-25 Offseason Primer and Links Hub
More must-reads:
- All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
- Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
ESPN Predicts Mets-Twins Trade One Week Before Deadline
The New York Mets are a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, but their pitching staff is still injury-ravaged despite the recent returns of Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Brandon Waddell (hip), Dedniel Nuñez (elbow), Max Kranick (flexor), Paul Blackburn (shoulder), Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles), Drew Smith (elbow), A.J. Minter (lat), Danny Young (elbow), and Christian Scott (elbow) are alll on the Mets' IL. The MLB Trade Deadline is July 31 at 6 p.m. EST, so the front office has one week to add healthy arms from around the league this season. ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted on Thursday that New York would trade for a Minnesota Twins reliever. "One guarantee of the trade deadline: The Mets will add to the bullpen, probably with more than one trade. Though the rotation still ranks fifth in ERA, that was built off a hot start," he wrote. "More importantly, the only Mets starter to complete six innings since June 7 has been David Peterson. As a result, manager Carlos Mendoza has run relievers Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazoban, Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek into the ground. The bullpen had a 2.78 ERA through May, but that figure is over 5.00 since the beginning of June (ranking near the bottom of the majors)." "The Twins have two high-profile relievers in [Jhoan] Duran and [Griffin] Jax, both of whom are under team control through 2027, so they'll be much more expensive than your usual short-term relievers if the Twins decide to trade one or both," he continued. "Duran would be harder to deal -- but bring more in return -- so we'll say Jax will go. Don't be fooled by his 4.09 ERA: He has 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 44 innings with a 97-mph heater. He's an elite strikeout reliever, the type you want on the mound in October." The Mets are hot despite their injuries, as they're on a four-game winning streak and just swept the Los Angeles Angels. Next up is a road trip against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. New York right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) on Friday.
‘In What World Does This Make Sense?????’: Oilers and $63M Forward
According to some, throw out the idea that the Edmonton Oilers should pursue Max Pacioretty. A veteran forward who has earned over $63 million over the course of his NHL career has yet to sign an NHL contract and was recently mentioned in a post by David Staples as a possible fit. In a recent post, the Journal noted, “All of the top NHL unrestricted free agents have already signed contracts, but there’s one big name player still available that makes good sense for the Edmonton Oilers to pursue.” Responses have been varied, with a few quite vocal about the Oilers not following Staples’ advice. “In what world does this make sense?????” writes a commenter on a recent post for The Hockey Writers. Another commenter wrote, “Pacioretty is a good journeyman player but he is injury prone now, late in his career. Oilers might be lucky to get 40 games out of him. They should look elsewhere instead of taking a chance on Patches.” Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation chimed in and said, “He scored five goals in 37 games last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Can’t stay healthy, very old, very slow.” Yaremchuk then went on a rant, listing several Oilers forwards who would be better than Pacioretty. What About Pacioretty on a PTO? Is there any reason that a team that is looking to get younger and faster, and move out depth pieces that were older and less productive than expected, would revert back to last summer’s strategy? It seems like an odd choice on the surface. Something would have to happen that would make giving Pacioretty a look risk-free. That means only a PTO. Even at that point, should he agree, it would require him to be willing to sign a two-way contract for the league minimum.
Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
Davante Adams discusses time with Jets, Aaron Rodgers reunion
The reunion between quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams in 2024 was brief. After nearly two and a half years apart, the longtime Green Bay Packers duo attempted to rekindle their connection with the New York Jets. Adams worked his way to the Jets early in the 2024 season, dealt from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick in October. While the chemistry between them wasn't bad, the results spoke otherwise, as everything spiraled out of control in New York, ending in a 5-12 season. The star receiver was released by the club in March before joining the Los Angeles Rams in free agency, while Rodgers was handed the same fate, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in June. Adams was asked about Rodgers being his opponent again during an appearance on the "Up and Adams" show on Friday. “Aaron’s got to be happy. I mean, I’m happy for him. We both, we got to try it again together and gave that another shot. That stone wasn’t left unturned; we did what we had to do, and it just obviously didn’t work. Just like for me, I wish him nothing but luck, and I know he’s going to go out there and ball out too,” Adams said. Adams wound up amassing 67 receptions, 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games as a Jet with Rodgers, per ESPN stats, averaging 77.6 yards per game, much higher than his previous season in Las Vegas. Two of the legendary quarterback's four NFL MVPs were won with Adams being his top target from 2020 to 2022. At their best, they were borderline unstoppable, though postseason shortcomings haunted them in the end. There's no doubting how good a QB-WR duo these two were in Green Bay; however, all that occurred in New York made it obvious that a change was necessary. The Rodgers-led Steelers and Adams and the Rams will have plenty of eyeballs on them in 2025. Unfortunately for fans, the two teams don't play each other this season... unless they find a way to meet up in San Francisco for Super Bowl LX in February.
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