The Mets have bolstered the back end of their rotation by signing former Angels pitcher to a one-year deal worth $4.25 million, with up to $1 million in potential bonuses. Canning, a second-round pick in the 2018 draft, made 94 starts for the Angels between 2019 and 2024, highlighted by a Gold Glove Award in 2020.
Canning debuted in late April 2019 but was shut down in August due to elbow inflammation. Following his standout 2020 season, he dealt with a stress fracture in his lower back, sidelining him for part of 2021 and all of 2022. Over the next two seasons, however, he became a reliable piece of the Angels’ rotation, starting 53 games during that span.
A ground-ball pitcher with a strong slider as his best weapon, Canning has a career ERA of 4.78. While he made a career-high 32 starts and threw more innings in 2024 than ever before, his performance declined significantly from 2023. He experienced decreased fastball velocity, a lower strikeout rate, and higher walk and opponent batting stats, all without a notable change in BABIP. In August, The Athletic’s Sam Blum pointed out that Canning’s diminished fastball lacked enough separation from his off-speed pitches to generate swings and misses, suggesting he may have been tipping pitches.
Despite his struggles, Canning managed to average over five innings per start in 2024, making him a viable innings-eater for the Mets. Notably, he struck out eight Mets in a 3-2 Angels win that season. After the season, Canning was traded to the Braves in a salary-dump deal for Jorge Soler but was non-tendered less than a month later.
This signing aligns with the Mets’ recent trend of reclamation projects, similar to Sean Manaea and Luis Severino last year or Frankie Montas this year. At 28 years old, Canning’s time to rediscover his form is running out, but he still has upside, particularly if the Mets can help him correct pitch-tipping issues, regain fastball velocity, and refine his pitch mix. If successful, he could emerge as a serviceable fifth or sixth starter alongside pitchers like Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and José Buttó in spring training.
The low-cost nature of the deal means the Mets can easily move on if Canning struggles during camp. However, if the Mets adopt a six-man rotation, he could serve as a flexible sixth starter or provide long relief when needed. With their pitching lab’s reputation for turning around struggling arms, there’s hope Canning could rebound. In any case, he adds valuable depth, especially if the Mets secure a higher-caliber starter for the top of their rotation as expected.
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