The situation with Griffin Canning in New York has taken a downturn.
The 29-year-old right-handed pitcher signed a one-year deal worth $4.25 million, which included a potential bonus of up to $1 million. At first, this seemed like a great find; during his initial outings, Canning had a stunning 2.47 ERA, making him one of the bright spots in the Mets’ pitching roster.
However, that’s all changed in the last month or so.
In his most recent five starts, he’s struggled significantly, posting a troubling 6.75 ERA over 19 innings. This has pushed his overall ERA for the season up to 3.80.
Earlier in the season, he had done a good job limiting walks, but now he’s reverted to bad habits, allowing 6.75 walks per nine innings during this rough patch. His strikeout rate also dropped to 7.17 per nine innings, reminiscent of his previous challenging times with the Angels.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza hasn’t hesitated to pull Canning during this rough stretch; he’s only managed to pitch six innings in one of his last five outings, failing to reach the required length in most of them.
Canning is set to face the Phillies in Philadelphia this Saturday.
The Phillies’ offense got off to a sluggish start, but they’ve been firing on all cylinders lately, boasting an on-base plus slugging percentage of 0.745 since May 1. This puts them seventh in the league, especially after their recent 10-2 blowout win over the Mets.
Given Canning’s recent performance, perhaps it’s best to approach his upcoming match with some caution.
Play recommendation: Griffin Canning under 4.5 strikeouts (-150, BET365)
