The New York Mets’ Black Friday shopping spree completely overhauled their outfield, starting with the signing of former Oakland Athletic Mark Canha to a two-year deal with an option for 2025, worth a guaranteed $26.5 million.
Canha, 32, played all three outfield spots as well as first base for Oakland in 2021, and hit .231 with a .746 OPS, 17 home runs, and 61 RBI in 141 games. He also had a 106 wRC+ last season, well above the Mets’ overall 99 wRC+ mark that is just a tick below league average statistically.
Defensively, Canha spent most of his time in left field, making 93 starts and 13 relief appearances there, but he also played 27 games in right and 20 in center, and made two late appearances at first base – the position he played most in his rookie season in 2015.
For his career, Canha is a .244/.344/.431 hitter with 89 home runs in 645 games over seven seasons, all with Oakland.
The signings of Canha, infielder Eduardo Escobar (129 wRC+), and reportedly center fielder Starling Marte (112 wRC+) will greatly improve the Mets’ lineup against lefties, and overhauls an outfield that looks likely to let Michael Conforto walk in free agency and had Dom Smith, a first baseman by trade, in left and Brandon Nimmo, likely more suited for a corner, in center.
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The Mets also added Nick Plummer on a major-league deal and are reportedly interested in a Javier Baez reunion, which could push one or more of Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis, or Robinson Cano into part-time duty or moving elsewhere, even if the DH comes to the National League.