Canha will stay put despite hot hitting

While Mark Canha shows signs of emerging from a slump, A’s manager Bob Melvin said Saturday he sees no reason to rush Canha back to the leadoff spot, largely due to Josh Harrison’s output there.

Harrison has started the A’s past seven games as the leadoff man. He is 12-for-32, a .375 average, with more multi-hit games (five) than strikeouts (two) in that stretch.

Canha made 105 of his first 106 starts this season in the leadoff spot. The A’s moved him down Aug. 27, amid a 12-for-85 (.141) stretch, to the lower half of the lineup. He has hit safely in eight games since for a .285 average.

It’s notable that Canha is hitting for power on this road trip. He hit just two home runs in 57 games from June 1 to Aug. 29, a stretch in which he missed time with a hip injury. Now he has homered in four of his past five games, including a three-run homer in the ninth inning Saturday off former A’s reliever Joakim Soria.

Before the A’s 11-10 loss in Toronto on Friday, Melvin was asked whether he’s considering returning Canha to the leadoff spot.

“Not with what Harrison’s doing right now,” Melvin said. “And I think (Canha) is really comfortable where he is right now and driving in runs and hitting homers. As long as we have somebody that’s getting on base at the top, I don’t see any reason to move two guys that are being successful in the spots they’re in right now.”

Harrison has experience as a leadoff man, with a .286 career average in 292 starts. He takes pride in the role: “Part of it is the team is looking for you to be a spark,” Harrison recently said. “Whether that’s getting on base, having a good at-bat, you get a chance to get things started.” Marte update: Center fielder Starling Marte did not play Saturday, a day after being hit in the helmet by a pitch.

Melvin said pregame that Marte was “doing all right” and “still a little sore to the touch — just not something I want to do, start him today, after what happened.”

Melvin said he believed the A’s had ruled out a concussion for Marte, who was in the dugout during the game.

Duane Burleson / Associated Press Mark Canha has an eight-game hitting streak since being dropped out of the leadoff spot.