Mark Canha, having departed the Athletics amicably after the 2021 season, sparked speculation about his feelings toward his former team with his reaction following a sixth-inning homer during Friday’s game. His solo blast, a 414-foot shot off A’s pitcher JP Sears, occurred in the Tigers’ 5-4 victory at Comerica Park. A camera angle captured a moment that appeared as if Canha was staring into Oakland’s dugout.
Following the game, Canha addressed the speculation in an interview with MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, asserting that he wasn’t intentionally looking into the A’s dugout. He clarified that his gaze was directed above the dugout, aimed at the fans, intending to energize them. Canha emphasized that his actions were not personal towards the A’s, wanting to dispel any misconceptions.
Reflecting on his homer, Canha described it as a rare moment where he felt he had connected perfectly with the ball. He expressed the exhilaration of hitting such a powerful shot, noting it had been some time since he had experienced such a feeling.
Having spent the first seven years of his MLB career with the A’s, Canha established himself as a beloved figure among fans. However, as the A’s underwent roster changes in 2020 and 2021, he found himself not being re-signed. Subsequently, Canha signed a two-year deal with the New York Mets, eventually being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers just before the 2023 MLB trade deadline.
In a further move, Canha was traded to the Tigers in November, where he assumed the role of a veteran leader on a youthful Detroit squad aspiring to reach the MLB playoffs for the first time since 2014. In the game against his former team, Canha emerged victorious, emphasizing afterward that his celebration held no personal animosity towards the A’s.
