As an unknown quantity last year, then-rookie Mark Canha wasn’t supposed to play much. He wound up getting some early chances and capitalized.
Canha is a known quantity this time around with 16 homers, 70 RBI and a slash line of .254/.315/.426 as Rule 5 pickup. He was supposed to get a big contributor, but that’s not how it’s worked.
He played in 10 of the A’s first 13 games a year ago, but in only four of the first 13 this time around and in just one of the last nine. And he was on the bench again Tuesday as the A’s opened a 10-game road trip in Yankee Stadium.