DETROIT — The Tigers’ first massive transfer of the offseason is the sort of commerce that president of baseball operations Scott Harris has hinted at for some time, leveraging their organizational pitching depth to handle their offense. Detroit acquired veteran outfielder Mark Canha from Milwaukee on Saturday in trade for reduction prospect Blake Holub.
Canha, a nine-year veteran who additionally frolicked with the A’s and Mets, matches the Tigers’ offensive profile, offering double-digit residence run energy whereas dominating the strike zone. He owns a .364 on-base proportion and a 120 OPS+ since 2018. He batted .262 this previous season between New York and Milwaukee with 25 doubles, 11 residence runs, 62 RBIs, a .355 on-base proportion and a 108 OPS+.
“Mark is an on-base machine,” Harris stated on a convention name with reporters. “He goes as much as the plate with a plan. He grinds out at-bats. He by no means provides in to pitchers. He makes a ton of contact. He’s been one of many largest on-base threats in our recreation during the last 4 or 5 years. So I feel he instantly makes us higher.”
Canha is a little bit older in comparison with the remainder of the Tigers’ roster; he’ll flip 35 in February. However the Tigers are hoping to make use of that have as a bonus for the remainder of their membership.
“We really feel actually good about what he’ll add to our clubhouse,” Harris stated. “It is no secret we’ll have a really younger group subsequent 12 months. Including Mark, who’s a high-character man who brings grit and toughness to our group, as a veteran who’s seen so much on this recreation, will solely assist our younger guys adapt to the massive leagues sooner. I additionally assume including this sort of bat with this caliber of strategy on the plate can solely assist the younger gamers. I hope a lot of our younger hitters emulate this sort of strategy after they see it daily.”
In return, Canha permits the Tigers to handle an offensive want with out a long-term contract or testing a skinny free-agent market. His contract has an $11.5 million membership possibility for subsequent season, which the Brewers appeared unlikely to choose up however the Tigers will.
The Tigers took benefit of the scenario by buying him for Holub, a Fifteenth-round Draft choose in 2021 who emerged as a reduction prospect this 12 months whereas serving to Double-A Erie to its first-ever Japanese League title. The 6-foot-6 right-hander posted a 3.03 ERA and eight saves in 48 appearances between Erie and Excessive-A West Michigan, hanging out 76 batters over 65 1/3 innings. With two different massive, hard-throwing right-handed relievers on the identical stage in Tyler Mattison and RJ Petit, the Tigers felt they’d the depth to swing a deal.
“I didn’t need to commerce Blake. He’s a proficient younger reliever who has an opportunity to pitch in a Main League bullpen sooner or later,” Harris stated. “However on this recreation, it’s a must to hand over one thing to get one thing. I feel that on this case, our participant growth group deserves numerous credit score right here. They helped Blake take an enormous step ahead this 12 months. [Vice president of player development] Ryan Garko and his employees helped him get within the zone, his stuff improved and he put collectively a very nice 12 months that made him a priceless commerce chip for us to exit and purchase Mark.”
The Tigers will plug Canha right into a predominantly left-handed outfield group that features Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Parker Meadows and Akil Baddoo. One other left-handed-hitting outfielder, Austin Meadows, has another 12 months of group management however may very well be a non-tender candidate. The Canha commerce might additionally permit Matt Vierling, one other right-handed outfielder, to focus extra on third base, the place he performed for a great stretch of the summer time.
“I feel it’s a little bit early within the offseason to really forecast taking part in time. We’ve got numerous time left within the offseason to reshape our group,” Harris stated. “I view my job as making an attempt to make [manager A.J. Hinch’s] life tougher, making an attempt to make his choices way more tough. I feel we made it tougher at this time, and I intend to maintain doing that and we’ll let A.J. put all of the items collectively. He’s fairly good at that.”