The New York Mets are thoroughly scanning the market for pitching. They have added Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes for their rotation and a bunch of fliers on minor-league deals. On Wednesday night, they took a chance on a pitcher who used to be promising but didn’t really have a positive 2024. That hurler is former Los Angeles Angel and Atlanta Brave Griffin Canning.
“The Mets have acquired another starting pitcher: Griffin Canning for one year and $4.25 million guaranteed, source confirms. Recently non-tendered by the Braves, Canning owns a 4.78 career ERA over five seasons with the Angels,” Mets insider Anthony DiComo posted on X.
At this point, you probably don’t need us to tell you that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns loves a cheap reclamation project, and Canning, with the right coaching and player development staff, could potentially thrive. He was part of the Angels, one of the most dysfunctional organizations in MLB, for years.
Canning probably won’t be awarded a rotation spot. His contract is designed so he has a chance to prove himself with performance, and anything that comes after that (whether it is a starting role or a bullpen spot) will entirely depend on his ability to consistently retire hitters.
The Mets see something in Canning
Canning is still 28 years old, theoretically in the prime of his career. He throws four pitches (fastball, slider, changeup, curveball) and finally enjoyed a healthy campaign after years of struggling with injuries.
Still, the Mets have work to do. Canning’s fastball velocity was down across the board this past season as he posted a highly disappointing 5.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 130/66 K/BB ratio across 171 2/3 innings. He finished near the bottom of many statistical categories.
One of the Mets’ missions will be helping Canning regain his fastball. The whiff rate on the pitch fell from 28.3 percent in 2023 to 14.7 percent this past season. If they manage to gain some ground there, the righty could potentially unlock another level and help in New York.