Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Mark Canha dealt to the Detroit Tigers as NL Central team aims to shuffle deck

One could argue that Mark Canha was the best deadline deal of the 2023 season. Picked up by the Milwaukee Brewers, the team has now announced that they will be shipping the outfielder out.

The Detroit Tigers are acquiring Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange minor leaguer Blake Hubb. The news was seen as surprising, as the pending free agent had contributed to Milwaukee's strong regular season.

Until the end of 2021, Canha was a lifelong member of the Oakland Athletics. Having hit 72 home runs and 233 RBIs over his seven seasons in the Bay, Canha moved out of his home state by way of a two-year, $26.5 million deal with the New York Mets.

"TRADE: The Brewers are trading Mark Canha to the Tigers, the team announced." - FOX Sports: MLB

However, 2023 soon became to unravel for the New York Mets, who are baseball's richest team. By the August 1 trade deadline, it became clear that billionaire owner Steve Cohen's side would be golfing come October.

On July 31, just as the Mets were in the midst of dealing off Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, Canha was shipped to Milwaukee. Upon the move, Canha's bat absolutely came alive. Through his first 46 games with the Milwaukee Brewers, Canha hit .296 with 5 home runs, 33 RBIs, and an OPS of .834.

"Mark Canha goes yard against Clayton Kershaw! His first home run as a Brewer. (@BallySportsWI Mark Canha goes yard against Clayton Kershaw!" - FOX Sports: MLB

Unfortunately for Canha and the rest of the Brewers team, their postseason performance did not mirror their regular season success. The team bowed out of the playoffs after losing consecutive games to the lower-seeded Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that would go on to win the National League Pennant for 2023.

Mark Canha brings versatile veteran experience to young Tigers team

The Detroit Tigers finished with a record of 78-84, which although was first in the AL Central, it would have placed them last or near-last in most other divisions. With the addition of Canha, the Tigers can back up dynamic youngsters like Spencer Torkelson and Akil Badoo with a consistent, switch-hitting fielder who is as comfortable playing in left as he is at first base.

As for the Milwaukee Brewers, winning the NL Central again will not be any easier without Canha in the lineup.