The Texas Rangers pushed their record above .500 on Thursday when they picked up a 9-6 victory over the Athletics, putting the two teams in a tie at the top of the American League West division. While they haven’t been perfect, the Rangers have looked like a team that is capable of competing for a playoff spot early on in the 2026 campaign.
While all is going well in the majors, Texas has a unique situation brewing in the minors involving veteran outfielder Mark Canha. After he did not make the team’s Opening Day roster, Canha elected to remain with the Rangers organization, with the hope being that he’d eventually find his way back to the majors. A couple of weeks into the season, though, it appears Canha has changed his mind, forcing the front office to make a decision on his future.
Mark Canha Requests His Release from the Rangers
Canha initially found his way into the majors back in 2015 with the Athletics, and he turned himself into a versatile, steady-hitting outfielder who would be a key part of their lineup for seven seasons. The best season of Canha’s career to this point came in 2019, when he hit .273 with a career-high 26 home runs and 58 RBIs.
Ahead of the 2022 campaign, Canha signed with the New York Mets in free agency, and since then, he’s bounced around the league, spending time with the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, and Kansas City Royals. In 46 games with K.C. last year, Canha didn’t make much of an impact, as he hit just .212 with one home run and 6 RBIs during his time on the field.
Over the offseason, the Rangers opted to take a flier on Canha by signing him to a minor-league contract. While he’s started the year in the minors, he has not played in a game yet, as he’s had his eye on a return to the majors. He seems to believe he won’t be able to achieve that goal with Texas, as he requested to be released by the team on Thursday night.
“Veteran OF Mark Canha asked for his release today from the Rangers to seek big league opportunities elsewhere,” Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported in a post on X.
Rangers Appear Set to Move on from Mark Canha
GettyVeteran outfielder Mark Canha has asked to be released by the Rangers
With no real path to the majors existing for Canha, the Rangers don’t have much of a reason to hold onto him now that he’s requested his release. No move has officially been made yet, but it would be a surprise if Texas doesn’t grant Canha’s request and allow him to look for a new home with a team that could use some outfield depth at the major league level.
Losing Canha would hurt the Rangers, as he’s a very valuable piece of depth to be holding onto in the minors for the time being. Canha could conceivably contribute to another team immediately, though, and he is hoping that he will be given a shot to latch on with a new squad at some point in the near future.
Veteran Outfielder Asks to Be Released by Rangers