Why Zaidi and Melvin see ‘tenacious’ Canha as the perfect fit for the Giants originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants didn’t feel an urgent need to change their starting rotation before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, but president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi tried to stay active and added some versatility and depth to the lineup when he acquired Mark Canha of the Detroit Tigers.
Canha, 35, is a Bay Area native who spent the first seven seasons of his MLB career across the waters with the Oakland Athletics. He was managed by current Giants captain Bob Melvin, who made glowing comments when asked about Canha coming to town. Zaidi too.
“Mark Canha fits this roster perfectly, his versatility and ability to play corners, play first base, start, come off the bench,” Zaidi said before Tuesday’s game against the A’s at Oracle Park. Left-handed at the corners, so it fits perfectly. And I think the relationships that he has at the club… and really in this city and in this region, are a great fit for us, and I know people are excited about it.”
Canha was batting .231 (74-for-320) in 93 games with the Tigers this season. He had seven home runs, 38 RBI, 42 runs scored and four stolen bases.
He played left field, right field and first base with Detroit, same things that he did in Oakland.
Canha’s versatility gives the Giants many options.
San Francisco envisions center fielder Heliot Ramos as a full-time designated hitter in order to slow the wear and tear on his body. Canha has some experience in center field, though the Giants will likely keep him in right or left while using Mike Yastrzemski or others in center.
Canha also brings a mostly positive attitude to the club. He has a history as a cheerful player who takes on a leadership role within the club
“I think it’s more than just looking at his numbers,” Melvin said. “He is a very tenacious player. He’s the kind of guy you don’t particularly care for on the other side and you love him when he’s on your team.
“He’s very excited about coming back to the Bay Area. He went to high school here, he went to college here, he played for the A’s. There’s a lot to like about him and how he feels about the Bay Area. I know he’s ecstatic to be back.”
To get Canha out of Detroit, the Giants sent minor league reliever Eric Silva to the Tigers. The 21-year-old had a 4-2 record with a 4.35 ERA in 28 games with 51 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings at Double-A Richmond this season.
Melvin highlighted that Canha’s statistics are not exactly mind-blowing, but the San Francisco coach believes that a change of scenery could be the solution to help Canha turn his season around.
“Sometimes these things inspire you,” Melvin said. “His numbers, maybe recently, didn’t look good. Maybe we should have him play a little more against left-handed pitching, which is where he’s done really well. But when you are inspired, sometimes things can get better.”
