Royals Cut Bait With 11-Year MLB Veteran After Disappointing Stint In KC

Not the best trade the Royals ever made...

May 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Mark Canha (21) gets hit with a pitch in the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals have searched around many corners in their quest for offense this season, and not all of their efforts have proven fruitful.

Just before the season began, the Royals made a trade to acquire 11-year major league veteran Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers. The 36-year-old outfielder/first baseman was slated to miss the major league roster cut for the Brewers, now the best team in Major League Baseball.

At points throughout his career, Canha was one of the better on-base guys in the league, and he's always been a beloved figure in the clubhouses he's joined. Unfortunately, results come first, and Canha wasn't able to perform in the opportunities he got in Kansas City.

Royals designate Mark Canha for assignment

May 9, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Mark Canha (21) bats against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Canha, who last played on July 7, was on a rehab assignment with tennis elbow on his left side. But there was no clear roster spot for him to return to, and the Royals evidently decided his roster spot could be used elsewhere.

On Monday, the Royals announced that Canha had been returned from his rehab assignment and designated for assignment instead. That frees up a spot on the 40-man roster, and places the veteran on waivers for any team to claim him.

If Canha clears waivers, which seems like a reasonably safe bet, he can either accept an outright assignment to Triple-A or elect free agency.

In 46 major league games as a Royal, Canha slashed .212/.272/.265, with only one home run and six RBIs. Only a year removed from a league-average offensive season with the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants, he looked overmatched by major league pitching, hitting .211 against fastballs and .154 against breaking stuff.

Having acquired Randal Grichuk at the July trade deadline, the Royals didn't have much space left for a right-handed platoon bat, as Canha would have had to take the place of someone with options like Nick Loftin or John Rave on the active roster.

In 1,095 career games with six teams, Canha is a lifetime .248 hitter with a robust .346 on-base percentage. He reached 10 years of major league service time in June, a huge milestone for any player that includes a full pension and entry to any ballpark for free.

Will there be a final act for Canha in MLB? That will be the question to follow after Monday's decision.

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