MVBrewers #9: Mark Canha

At the trade deadline of the 2023 season, the Brewers made a few additions to the team for a playoff push. One of those was Mark Canha, who was acquired from the Mets for Justin Jarvis. Canha’s two-month appearance with the Brewers puts him at No. 9 in our rankings of the top 10 Brewers of 2023.

Canha provided a stable bat in a Brewers offense that had been scraping by for most of the season. In two months with the Brewers, he had a 1.0 WAR with a .287/.373/.427 batting line (120 OPS+). He also had five home runs and 33 RBI.

Canha worked his way up the Brewers batting order and spent most of September between the leadoff spot and cleanup spot in the lineup. He spent his time with the Brewers shifting between the outfield and the DH role, with a few starts at first base as well. Canha was also a key player while Christian Yelich was injured in September, helping fill his spot in the outfield. While his defense was below average (-2 OAA throughout the season), his bat more than made up for that.

He was also known for some of his clutch moments while with the Brewers. His biggest was a go-ahead grand slam against the Nationals on Sept. 16. He also had a go-ahead double in the 10th inning against the White Sox on Aug. 11, and a game-tying double in the 10th against the Rockies on Aug. 9. In the Brewers two postseason games, he went hitless in the first game but then had a 3-for-4 day in the second game.

Unfortunately, Canha won’t have an encore appearance with the Brewers in 2024. Following the season, the Brewers traded him to the Tigers for minor league pitcher Blake Holub. With a surplus of outfielders on the Brewers roster, it would have been tough to get all of the outfielders playing time.

We’ll continue the rankings of the 10 most valuable Brewers each Monday and Wednesday into December. Come back on Monday to see who we have at No. 8.

9. Mark Canha
10. Willy Adames