Alexander

Canario

It’s a little surprising no outfielder-needy team sent some cash the Mets’ way in return for Canario. The Rockies’ signing of Mickey Moniak might take them out of the picture here, but he’d still make plenty of sense for the Marlins. Canario’s big finish gave him a .306/.419/.611 line this spring, and he’s still just 24 years old.

He also singled. When we checked in on Canario a week ago, he was just 3-for-25 with a .621 OPS this spring. Now he’s 11-for-35 with a 1.058 OPS. He still doesn’t make sense for the Mets roster, but it seems far more likely now that he’ll be claimed by some team (Colorado?) if he goes on waivers.

The 24-year-old Canario is out of options, so he’s auditioning for all 30 teams this spring. Alas, it’s not going well. The former Cubs prospect is just 3-for-25 with one extra-base hit and a 12/3 K/BB ratio. He never figured to have much chance of making the Mets, but it’s becoming less likely that someone will claim him off waivers.

Canario represents an intriguing low-risk pickup for New York as extra outfield depth in the wake of Nick Madrigal’s shoulder injury. The 24-year-old former top prospect became expendable for Chicago following the offseason addition of superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker after posting an .857 OPS with two homers in 21 contests at the big-league level over the past two years. There isn’t much of a path to major-league at-bats with the Mets at the moment, but he’s a worthwhile reclamation project and could turn into an impactful reserve outfielder down the road.

The Cubs needed a spot on the 40-man roster for Justin Turner, so they decided to let Canario go. It’s a bit of a surprising decision since the 24-year-old has prodigious raw power, hitting 37 home runs and stealing 23 bases in the minors in 2022. He battled injuries in 2023 but hit 18 home runs in 64 games in Triple-A last season. Canario certainly has some swing-and-miss in his game, but he’s also a career .261 minor-league hitter with a .847 OPS and 109 home runs in 519 games. Some team will likely try to swing a trade for him and take a shot on his power upside.

The deal was reported on Tuesday and is now official. Turner will likely start at first base or DH against left-handed hitters but could also be used occasionally to spare Matt Shaw, since the top prospect is set to play his first full MLB season, which can often be a grind for young players. That role will be great for the Cubs but should keep Turner off most fantasy radars unless there’s an injury. Alexander Canario was designated for assignment to make room for Turner.

The 24-year-old slugger is entering his final option year, so they’ll try to be creative and find ways for him to stick around. The Cubs don’t have a clear backup first baseman behind Michael Busch, and the fact that Canario bats right-handed could make him a short side platoon option at the position if he can handle it defensively.

Canario came up as an extra outfielder when Cody Bellinger was placed on the injured list. Now Canario is headed back to the minors with the Cubs activating Mike Tauchman from the injured list. Canario hit .280 with one home run and two RBI in 25 at-bats with the Cubs.

Canario will replace an injured Cody Bellinger (finger) on Chicago’s active roster moving forward. The 24-year-old outfielder, who has gotten into 19 contests for the Cubs over the last two years, holds an .832 OPS with 16 homers this season in 59 games for Triple-A Iowa.

Bellinger left Wednesday’s game after being getting hit on the finger by a pitch and Canario’s presence in Baltimore might mean the veteran OF is headed to the IL with the All-Star break looming. Even though Bellinger isn’t having a huge season, a trip to the IL could complicate his potential trade value. Canario is hitting just .238 at Triple-A, but he also has 16 home runs and 43 RBI in 59 games and could provide some thump if given a chance.