San Francisco Giants Free Agent Drawing Interest From Former Team for Reunion

A former team of a San Francisco Giants free agent is looking to bring him back into the fold.

Sep 20, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Mark Canha (16) bats during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

There are a few positions that the San Francisco Giants could still use some help at with just a few weeks until Spring Training gets underway.

It certainly wouldn’t hurt to find an upgrade for the corner outfield spot with Michael Conforto leaving in free agency and signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. First base also remains a need, with LaMonte Wade Jr. penciled in as the starter.

He and veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski have both been mentioned as potential trade chips this offseason, so the team could still be looking to make some moves.

One player who they had hoped would fill that role last season was Mark Canha, who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers ahead of the trade deadline.

With experience playing all three outfield spots and first base, he was a logical addition to help fill the voids at those spots. His production was solid, albeit not enough to elevate what was an underwhelming offensive team overall.

In 32 games with the Giants and 73 at-bats, he recorded a slash line of .288/.376/.329. The lack of power was certainly concerning, as he didn’t hit a single home run after hitting only seven with the Tigers through 320 at-bats.

While his power numbers have been heading in the wrong direction for a few years, but Canha remains a good contributor.

His advanced stats are solid, as his walk and strikeout rates were both better than the league average. His OPS+ has been above league average for seven seasons in a row as well, as he can certainly provide a team with some veteran leadership and good enough production.

But, the market for players of his age and profile has been slow to develop this winter. That could certainly change once teams start finalizing rosters for Spring Training, and one team to keep an eye on for Canha is the New York Mets.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, his former team has been in contact with him this offseason. At some point, they offered him a non-guaranteed deal to come back to the team he spent 2022 and part of the 2023 campaign with.

It will be interesting to see if that is something Canha and his representatives circle back on. If it had been offered earlier, he could have been waiting for something better, whether it be guaranteed money or a clearer path to playing time at the Major League level.

Things are crowded in the corner spots with the Mets, both in the outfield and infield.

It makes sense for Canha to hold out for a better opportunity, but it is anyone’s guess if one is going to come. At this point, a non-guaranteed deal may be the best that he can get unless injuries arise in Spring Training and Major League spots become available.