The Yankees have been working the phones in recent weeks, hoping to land a right-handed bat who could give them a lift against left-handed pitching. That search briefly pointed toward veteran outfielder Mark Canha, but the plan never made it off the ground.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees explored acquiring Canha, who had been with the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate in Omaha for a few days. But the 36-year-old was selected to Kansas City’s active roster before anything materialized.
Canha’s Appeal for the Yankees
The appeal with Canha was obvious: he’s been a quietly consistent hitter for years. In 2023, splitting time between the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants, Canha slashed .242/.344/.346 over 125 games with seven home runs and 42 RBIs.
While the power numbers have faded since his 26-homer campaign in 2019, the underlying skills remain intact. He gets on base—often. His 10.4% walk rate last year was well above league average, and he still handles left-handed pitching with confidence.
In 109 at-bats against southpaws last season, Canha hit .275 with a 15% walk rate, adding two home runs and nine RBIs. For a Yankees lineup that leans heavily left-handed and lacks righty production behind Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt, he would’ve been a strong platoon option.
Defensive Fit and Roster Considerations
While Canha has primarily been an outfielder throughout his career, his defensive flexibility offered even more reason for the Yankees to make a call. He’s logged over 1,200 innings at first base—an important note with Giancarlo Stanton out and Ben Rice expected to DH. Canha even had 29 career innings at third base, although that would’ve been more of an emergency option than a true fit.
Still, versatility matters, and the Yankees likely saw him as a multi-positional insurance policy who could hit at the top of the order against lefties and provide smart, veteran at-bats.
Royals Pounce First
Kansas City ultimately beat them to the punch, selecting Canha to their Opening Day roster after he opted out of his deal with Milwaukee earlier in the spring. It’s a savvy low-cost move by the Royals—and one that leaves the Yankees still shopping.
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General manager Brian Cashman has been vocal about the team’s desire to find another right-handed bat, but the options are thinning quickly. With Opening Day just days away, the front office will likely keep scanning the waiver wire and monitoring late roster cuts to find a better fit.
For now, Canha is off the board—and the Yankees’ search continues.