HOUSTON – The Mets' signature on canned Griffin in December caused less ripples in the offseason when billions of dollars were invested in free agency.
However, strong performance during spring training, combined with the injury of higher-priced signature Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, opening the Canning location, and the 28-year-old will make his Mets debut in Houston.
And for the little-known pitcher who struggled with Anaheim for the first six seasons of his career after being drafted by then-manager Billy Eppler in the second round of UCLA's 2017 draft, there is hope that he can make his name for himself with Queens.
Canning arrived at the Mets in exchange for Jorge Soller after an angel-to-Braves trade, but was untendered by Atlanta before hitting arbitration.
Canning's free agent then inked $4.25 million on a one-year contract with the Mets.
During spring training, he was asked if his struggle with the angels and being cut off by the Braves had lost his confidence, and he said, “I think that kind of thing will cause it to anyone.”
However, a new beginning from the Mets appears to have had a positive impact on Canning, who opened his eyes during spring training.
Savage, who coached Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer at university, worked with Canning just before heading into spring training at Port St. Lucie.
“He's like a greyhound. It's really thin and convulsive,” Savage said over the phone. “The ball came out of his hands differently and I loved his makeup and competitiveness.”
He went on to a solid career in college, but did not have the same results in the majors.
“This is a guy who really got the pitch and got something that suits his pitchability,” Savage said. He knew he had such a ceiling if he could stay healthy. ”
And that's one of the issues that stalled Canning's career.
A lower back stress fracture in August 2021 ended that season and missed everything in 2022, but he pitched 121 and 171 innings in the following season and 171 innings a year ago despite being a 5.19 ERA.
The Mets have a vision for a pitching program, which will help make the canned food more effective and use his swing and mistakes.
“I think his interactions with our pitching coach are also true to what we believe he is the best pitcher, knowing we are trying to help him,” said David Stearns, president of the baseball business.
He got off to a promising start. 14 On the Grapefruit Tree Gunning of 1/3, Canning hit 22 and walked 5.
Savage said Canning is ready for the challenge after the “A Whirlwind” offseason.
“I think he was looking forward to working with their technology,” Savage said of the Mets. “And more, new vibes, new opportunities, different voices. It's a new world for him.”
Something that could benefit the canned food after years of uproar with angels.
“I had four different pitching coaches, different managers with different philosophy,” Canning said of his time with the Angels.
Therefore, the Mets may be more stable.
“To some degree, yeah, yeah,” he grew up in Southern California, went to the Angels game and went to UCLA, then drafted by his hometown team. Now it's up to me. ”
