PHOENIX — Mark Canha’s playing time for the Mets has diminished this season, but his fighting spirit remains intact.
Once the club’s starting left fielder — a role he has vacated with the need to keep Tommy Pham’s sizzling bat in the lineup — Canha waits for his chances.
Sometimes, that entails batting ninth, as was the case Wednesday when manager Buck Showalter used Canha as the DH.
“I have told Buck a million times: I don’t care where I am in the lineup,” said Canha, who entered the game as a defensive replacement at third base in the ninth inning of the Mets’ 9-0 blowout win over the Diamondbacks, their fifth in a row. “I don’t care if I play or not. I just want to win.”
That attitude, which is not new for Canha, has endeared him to Showalter over the last two seasons.
After the Mets rallied with two runs in the ninth inning to beat the Diamondbacks 2-1 on Wednesday, many of the postgame questions centered on Francisco Alvarez’s two-out homer that tied the score.
But Showalter was sure to steer the conversation toward Canha’s contribution: His RBI triple brought in the go-ahead run.
Canha had walked twice previously in the game from the No. 9 hole on a night when the Mets had only three hits through the first eight innings.
“Mark doesn’t have the ego,” Showalter said before the Mets’ win. “He wants to do what is best for the team. Some people with his status wouldn’t like it, but it works for our lineup for him to hit [ninth] with his on-base percentage and ability to take a walk.”
Canha has a .248/.344/.405 slash line, six homers and 26 RBIs in 247 plate appearances.
He noted that, throughout his career at various points, he’s handled irregular playing time.
“We have a handful of guys who aren’t playing very much, and I think those guys do a great job when they get in there of doing something to affect the game,” Canha said. “It’s good to see everyone with a positive attitude when they are not a full-time player and come in every day and bring the same expectation to win and expectation to contribute a positive attitude.”
The Mets went 7-19 in June to fall 10 games below .500, but five consecutive victories to begin July and a sweep of the Diamondbacks has brought a renewed hope to the clubhouse.
“It felt weird there for a while, it was just like, ‘How do we keep losing these games?’ ” Canha said before the win. “It’s nice, it’s been the law of averages kind of turning in our favor. We’re working hard. We are keeping a positive mindset. We’re saying all the right things. We’re acting the right way, we have the same good attitude about it every day we show up. We’re in a good place, we’ve always been in a good place and now it’s paying off.”
The winning streak has muted, at least temporarily, the buzz about the Mets potentially becoming significant sellers at the trade deadline.
Canha is among the players in the final year of a contract who could depart by Aug. 1.
“I don’t think anyone here cares about all that noise,” Canha said. “It’s not like we can control it anyway. … Enjoy your work, and don’t worry about the outside [distractions].”
Brett Baty awoke Thursday with a sore left hamstring, prompting Showalter to give the rookie third baseman the day off.
Luis Guillorme started at third in Baty’s place and went 2-for-5
. Showalter said he is hoping that, with rest, Baty’s sore hamstring will manage itself.