New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning tossed a gem in a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. Canning threw six innings of one-run ball while striking out eight, walking two, and scattering three hits to earn the win. The veteran right-hander generated 16 swinging strikes in the start to improve his record to 2-1, to go along with a 3.43 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over 21 innings of work. After posting a 5.19 ERA with the Los Angeles Angels last season, Canning is enjoying his move to the National League thus far. He will have a tougher test against the Philadelphia Phillies in his next start, which is set for Tuesday.
Griffin Canning Will Make His Next Start On Thursday
New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning (illness) has recovered enough to make the start in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Lefty David Peterson, right-hander Kodai Senga and righty Clay Holmes will follow him in the four-game series. Canning began feeling sick on Tuesday and was scratched from his originally scheduled start in Minnesota in the series finale against the Twins. The 28-year-old staying on turn in the rotation means that the Mets won't be tempted to call up top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat to make his MLB debut this week. Due to injuries to several of New York's starting pitchers, Canning made the Mets' Opening Day rotation and has gone 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 13:8 K:BB in 15 innings over three starts against the Astros, Blue Jays and Athletics. He'll be a middling deep-league streamer against St. Louis.
Griffin Canning Scratched From Wednesday's Outing Due To Illness
New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning (illness) has been scratched from his scheduled start on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins due to an illness, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. The Mets have yet to announce a replacement, but it's unlikely to be pitching prospect Brandon Sproat on short rest. If Canning is feeling better in a few days, he could be asked to make his next start this Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. After making some mechanical tweaks in the offseason, the 28-year-old has opened his first year in New York by going 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA with 13 strikeouts and eight walks in 15 innings over his first three starts. His last outing against the Athletics was his worst, as he allowed four earned runs on seven hits while walking three and fanning three. Canning will be a middling fantasy streamer in deeper formats whenever he makes his next start.
Griffin Canning Could Have Leg Up On Final Rotation Spot
The Athletic's Will Sammon and Tim Britton think that New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning is probably ahead of someone like Tylor Megill for the sixth starter role to open the 2025 regular season because he doesn't have minor-league options left like Megill does. Canning, who has a 4.78 career ERA, said he expects to approach new assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel about tinkering with a two-seam fastball to help him improve. He all but ditched the pitch in 2024 and threw it 1% of the time. In general, the Mets want the 28-year-old to throw fewer fastballs, though, which means he'll likely lean more into his slider and changeup while also working to improve his curveball. If Canning does win the No. 6 spot, he could still be coming out of the bullpen more often than not in a piggyback role to help ease the early season burden on Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga, limiting his already low fantasy ceiling.
Free-agent right-hander Griffin Canning and the New York Mets agreed to a one-year, $4.25 million deal on Wednesday, pending a physical, according to sources. The deal includes $1 million in potential bonuses. Canning spent the 2024 season with the Los Angeles Angels before being traded to the Atlanta Braves in the deal involving outfielder Jorge Soler in October. Canning became a free agent when the Braves non-tendered him. The 28-year-old was once again underwhelming for the Halos this past season, going 6-13 with a 5.19 ERA (5.26 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 130 strikeouts and 66 walks in 171 2/3 innings over 32 outings (31 starts). His 99 earned runs allowed were the most in the league. In Queens, he'll likely compete for the final starting rotation spot with Tylor Megill. But even if he wins a spot, Canning won't draw much fantasy intrigue after posting a 17% strikeout rate with 31 homers allowed.
The Atlanta Braves non-tendered right-handers Griffin Canning, Royber Salinas, Huascar Ynoa, left-hander Ray Kerr, and outfielder Ramon Laureano on Friday, making them all free agents. Canning didn't last long with the Braves after the Braves acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels the day after the World Series ended for slugging outfielder Jorge Soler. In his final season with the Angels in 2024, he went 6-13 with a 5.19 ERA (5.26 FIP), a 1.39 WHIP and a 130:66 K:BB in 171 2/3 innings over 32 outings (31 starts). Canning's 99 earned runs allowed led the league for a bad Angels squad. The 28-year-old was once one of the Halos' promising young pitching prospects, but in his five years in the big leagues, he's had a 4.78 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 22.2% strikeout rate. At best, he'll land with a team that gives him a shot at a back-end rotation spot in spring training in 2025.
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Griffin Canning (elbow) said he's fine and is expecting to make the start on Wednesday on the road in Seattle against the division-rival Mariners. Canning was pulled from his last start early on Friday against the Oakland Athletics due to right-elbow irritation, but it looks like he'll avoid a stint on the injured list. Even though the Mariners are a decent matchup, fantasy managers won't be ecstatic to use Canning coming off an injury scare. The 28-year-old former second-round pick in 2017 out of UCLA hasn't gone more than five innings in a start since June 29 and allowed 12 earned runs on 16 hits (three homers) while walking six and striking out 10 in 12 innings in his last three starts combined. He's 3-10 with a 5.20 ERA in his 20 starts in 2024 and has a career-low 15.7% strikeout rate.
Griffin Canning Leaves Early With Elbow Irritation
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Griffin Canning (elbow) left his start early on Friday in Oakland against the division-rival Athletics due to right-elbow irritation when he was throwing his slider. However, Canning said after the 13-3 blowout loss to open the second half of the season that he's not overly concerned about the injury. Adding insult to injury, Canning was demolished by the lowly A's in his 3 1/3 innings of work for his 10th loss of the year, allowing a season-high-tying six earned runs on six hits (one home run) while walking two and striking out three to raise his season ERA to 5.20. Even though the 28-year-old isn't that concerned about his elbow, it doesn't mean the Angels won't put him on the 15-day injured list. Canning, who pitches for one of the worst teams in baseball, came into Friday's start with a career-low 15.7% strikeout rate.
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning earned his second win of the year on Wednesday in a 7-2 victory over the Cardinals. Canning went six innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits and three walks while striking out five. The lone run came on a solo shot off the bat of Paul Goldschmidt. After a rough start to the season, Canning has pitched well in his three May starts, posting a 1.53 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, a 6:13 BB:K, and limiting opponents to a .190 batting average. His May LOB% of 98.7% is not sustainable though, so he's probably due for some regression. We'll see if he can keep it up as the 28-year-old will take on Houston on the road in his next start.
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Griffin Canning is likely to start on Opening Day for the club on March 28. If the Angels don't juggle their current schedule when it comes to their pitchers, Canning is indeed lined up to start the opener. After missing the entire 2022 season due to stress fractures in his back, Canning returned in 2023 to work to a 4.32 ERA across 24 appearances (22 starts) while posting a quality 19.2% K-BB% in his career-high 127 innings of work. It was certainly an encouraging return from injury for Canning as he should see an increase in workload this time around. ATC projects a 4.16 ERA and a 17.9% K-BB% across 25 starts for the 27-year-old in 2024, numbers that would serve fantasy managers well as a mid-round pick.