On a night where there wasn’t much to celebrate for the Mets following their 6-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox, Mark Canha did something that is sure to grab some headlines, not just in New York, but to potential suitors across the league as well: record three outfield assists in the same game.
Canha’s big defensive night started off in the first inning when he threw out Jarren Duran at home plate trying to score on an errant throw to third base. It continued in the third inning when he nabbed Rafael Devers at third base and he capped it off in the fifth inning, throwing out Triston Casas at second base.
The three outfield assists by a single player were the most in franchise history since Andy Chavez did it in 2006.
“They kind of just fell in my lap,” Canha said. “Just playing the game and trying to make all the right plays and kinda doing what I always do and trying to play an aggressive outfield and it kind of just happened. It felt like it was seamless.”
Canha added that the funky dimensions of Fenway Park, particularly in left field, gives players more opportunities for nights like Sunday night.
“I think Fenway, the shorter left field, it gives you more opportunities to make plays on direct throws so that kind of just, it all just kind of happened tonight where I had some opportunities to make plays and I made them,” he said.
While the plays were impressive, they spoke to a bigger picture about who Canha is as a baseball player: a professional.
In 83 games (75 starts) for New York this season, Canha has played everywhere including left field, right field, first base, third base and been the designated hitter. Before injuries to Starling Marte and Tommy PhamCanha was also not playing everyday which meant he could be used in almost any situation at any given time.
How has he handled it? With aplomb.
“That’s typical Mark,” manager Buck Showalter said about Canha’s defense after the game. “I think tonight was a great example of why people like having Mark Canha on their team. (He can) play third, play first, play all three (outfield spots) and he’s always ready. He anticipates things. That was a positive on a night where there weren’t many.”
With a club option for next season, Canha has been at the center of trade rumors for a while. That’s only grown since he reminded teams on Sunday night just how valuable he can be and because the Mets are now 46-53, 7.5 games back of the third wild card spot.
Amidst all that, Canha was asked about how he felt about the trade speculation going on around him.
“It’s something that’s not really under my control and as an athlete I’m just trying to control what I can control,” he said. “It’s not really anything that I have any say or power over, so there’s no point in me focusing on that.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Carrasco struggled for the second straight outing, giving up five earned runs on 10 hits and two walks over 2.1 innings. Before he was pulled in the third inning, the right-hander had allowed six straight hits and if it wasn’t for Canha’s defense, his night could’ve been even worse.
“I just went out there and threw strikes and they got me,” Carrasco said. “Nothing that I can do about it. I was throwing strikes in the zone, they just got me right there. I got a lot of ground balls but it is what it is.”
After pitching eight scoreless innings in Arizona, Carrasco has allowed nine earned runs in seven innings spanning two starts.
“It is tough,” he said. “I’m trying to find myself everyday, but I don’t know maybe (I) still (need to) work a little bit more on my pitches, something like that, on my delivery, but I’m trying to find the same way that I did in Arizona.”