Former San Francisco Giants Veteran Slugger Reunites With Milwaukee Brewers

A former San Francisco Giants player has landed with the Milwaukee Brewers in free agency.

Oct 4, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers player Mark Canha (21) reacts after hitting a single in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during game two of the Wildcard series for the 2023 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

After slashing some payroll ahead of the MLB trade deadline last year, the San Francisco Giants decided to put some of those savings back into the team.

They acquired first baseman/outfielder Mark Canha from the Detroit Tigers in a move that surprised some people.

The Giants were in need of help at those positions, but it went against the thought process of their other moves, which hinted at them being sellers.

Canha didn’t quite have the impact San Francisco was hoping for with a 0.0 WAR in 32 games and 85 plate appearances. He got on base at a nice clip with a .288 batting average and .376 on-base percentage, however, he added zero power to the lineup.

He didn’t hit a home run with the team and had only three doubles, for a paltry .329 slugging percentage.

Canha was still hitting the ball hard, as he was right around the league average for exit velocity and hard-hit percentage. The biggest difference was he put the ball on the ground a lot more than he had previously in his career, resulting in a near career-low fly ball rate.

Even with his slugging percentage heading in the wrong direction, he brings a lot to the table that teams would love to have.

It took longer than he probably would have liked, but Canha has finally landed a deal to try and make a Major League roster.

This past weekend, the Milwaukee Brewers agreed to a minor league deal with the 10-year veteran, which included an invite to spring training.

Prior to that news being shared by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the last rumblings involving Canha were near the end of January when it was reported the New York Mets were showing some interest in a reunion, but only a non-guaranteed offer was on the table.

This will be his second stint with the National League Central franchise, as the Mets traded him to the Brewers in 2023.

He was highly productive in 50 games and 204 plate appearances with the team, producing a .287/.373/.427 slash line with five home runs, 10 doubles and 33 RBI.

Should he make the team, Canha will provide the Brewers with a veteran presence in the clubhouse to go with his defensive versatility.

He can play either of the corner outfield spot and first base at an adequate level, even making appearances at third base and center field during his career.