Mets Interested in Reunion With Fan Favorite Mark Canha

The Mets have reportedly offered a non-guaranteed deal to Mark Canha, who appeared in 229 games with the team from 2022-2023.

May 12, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Mark Canha (19) scores a run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images / Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

As spring training draws near, the New York Mets are still working to fill out their bench for the 2025 season — and it looks like a former fan favorite is on their radar.

On Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets have offered Mark Canha a non-guaranteed deal. The versatile right-handed hitter spent the 2022 season and part of 2023 in Queens.

In 229 games with the Mets, Canha posted a 3.6 bWAR and slashed .259/.359/.395 with 19 home runs, 39 doubles, and 90 RBI, playing a key role on the team’s 101-win season in 2022. When New York’s postseason hopes evaporated in 2023, the Mets traded Canha’s expiring contract to the Milwaukee Brewers for pitching prospect Justin Jarvis ahead of the trade deadline.

Canha, who turns 36 in February, split the 2024 season between the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants. In 125 games, he hit .242/.344/.346 with a 102 wRC+, seven home runs, and 42 RBI.

While Canha is not known for power, he has consistently posted an above-average OPS+ dating back to 2018. He has also had a knack for getting hit by pitches, leading the league in that category with both the A’s in 2021 and the Mets in 2022.

Defensively, Canha offers flexibility, having played both corner infield and outfield positions. According to Statcast, he posted +2 Outs Above Average (OAA) at first base, +1 OAA in left field, and -1 OAA in right field in 2024. Though he has just 27 career innings at third base, he recorded -1 OAA there.

It has been a slow offseason for Canha, who told NJ Advance Media on Jan. 9 that he had not received any calls from teams by that point. He acknowledged that his age could be a factor but it may also have to do with his sharp decline in key metrics: his expected batting average fell from .248 to .212 last season, and his expected slugging percentage dropped from .381 to a career-low .306.

Even so, Canha’s defensive versatility, low strikeout rate (20.5% for his career), and engaging personality could make him a valuable bench piece and a positive presence in the Mets’ clubhouse.

In 2024, the Mets benefited from a similarly charismatic presence on their bench in infielder and Latin pop star Jose Iglesias. According to Heyman, the Mets have not yet made a strong push to re-sign the 35-year-old free agent, who posted a .830 OPS in 85 games last season. 

With Pete Alonso’s status still uncertain, the Mets could use a steady veteran capable of filling in at either corner infield spot. Right now, third basemen Mark Vientos and Brett Baty are considered the favorites to start at those positions.

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