By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Royals made a late spring move and added a veteran outfielder on Friday evening, trading with the Milwaukee Brewers for Mark Cahna for a player to be named later or cash considerations, a source told MLB.com.
The 36 year old Cahna was on a Minor League deal in Spring Training with Milwaukee and is 2-for-23 in Cactus League play with one homer, four strikeouts and four walks.
Canha has spent parts of 10 seasons in the Majors playing for five teams and has hit 120 career home runs with a .349 career on-base percentage, with more gap-to-gap doubles power than home run power. He’s had neutral splits but has a .763 career OPS against southpaws. And as Spring Training progressed, the Royals thought an offensive hole of theirs would be a right-handed bat off the bench who could come in against lefties. Canha could be a backup left fielder and first baseman on the days he plays or comes in late in the game.
Canha slashed .242/.344/.346 with seven homers and 42 RBIs across 125 games between Detroit and San Francisco last season. A right-handed hitter who can play the corner outfield and first base, Canha will enter the 2025 season as a bench player for the Royals, who have had several options in camp fighting for a bench spot but no clear answers with Opening Day next week.
With Canha, the Royals will have two bench spots now accounted for along with backup catcher Freddy Fermin. Outfielder Dairon Blanco is viewed as a heavy favorite for a spot because of his pinch-running value.
The last spot could go any number of ways. Speedy outfielders Joey Wiemer, a right-hander, and Drew Waters, a switch-hitter, are in the running. Infielder/outfielder Tyler Tolbert could fill Blanco’s role if Blanco isn’t 100% after dealing with Achilles tendon soreness earlier this spring. Utility players Cavan Biggio and Harold Castro -- both left-handed -- as well as right-handed Nick Loftin have all shown off their versatility and ability to get on base this spring. Outfielder Nelson Velázquez and first baseman/outfielder Nick Pratto are both out of Minor League options, but they might be blocked now with Canha in the fold -- especially if the Royals went out and found a right-handed option in Canha despite having Velázquez in camp.
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