4 Mets hitters who will be on a short leash this season

3) NY Mets player on a short leash: Mark Canha

The other player who may feel the warm breath of Brett Baty making its way down his neck is Mark Canha. With Baty getting regular reps in left field already in the minors, it may be left field where he eventually finds himself. There have been questions about his ability to play third base. Plus, with a guy like Manny Machado expected to become available next offseason, moving Baty to the outfield could be in the cards.

Canha did have a good first year with the Mets although it was much different than what many of us expected. His power numbers were down yet his batting average and OBP were up. It’s hard to really know what type of player he’ll be for them in 2023.

We should give Canha a longer leash than Ruf and Escobar. There is no question about that. Aside from Baty, his spot in the lineup could always get taken over by a trade deadline addition. Moving Canha to the fourth outfielder spot on the roster wouldn’t be so horrible. He could even be the right-handed part of the DH platoon. There are plenty of ways to get him into the lineup if the Mets find a better left fielder.

The leash on Canha isn’t too short right now, but in the final year before his team option, there’s no reason to force him into the lineup.