While the baseball world buzzed this past offseason over the New York Mets’ blockbuster signing of Juan Soto and the re-signing of slugger Pete Alonso, one under-the-radar addition has quietly been just as vital to the team’s early-season dominance Griffin Canning.
Acquired by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns in a move that didn’t make many headlines at the time, Canning has turned out to be a pivotal piece in a rotation that was filled with questions entering the year. After struggling with consistency and injuries during his time with the Angels, the 28-year-old right-hander has found new life in Queens. So far this season, he’s posted a career-best ERA, dramatically cut down on walks, and has become a reliable innings-eater in a rotation that needed stability.
Canning’s emergence has taken pressure off the Mets’ other starters and allowed the team to navigate through a few early-season injuries without missing a beat. His ability to work deep into games has also preserved the bullpen a key factor in the team’s sustained success.
Meanwhile, Alonso is crushing opposing pitchers, launching home runs at an MVP pace, and Soto after a slow April has started to catch fire, providing the kind of elite, game-changing production the Mets paid for. But even with those star-powered performances, it’s hard to imagine the Mets sitting atop the National League East without Canning’s consistency on the mound.
As the summer heats up and postseason chatter intensifies, the Mets may look back at Griffin Canning not just as a smart depth signing, but as the stealth ace who helped steady the ship and turn a talented roster into a legitimate contender.
Mets’ underrated signing of Griffin Canning has helped climb National League ranking
One of the more defining traits of Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has been his ability to spot undervalued talent, particularly on the pitching front. This offseason, amidst the headline-grabbing signings of Juan Soto and the retention of Pete Alonso, Stearns made a quieter, more calculated move — signing Griffin Canning to a one-year, \$4.5 million deal. Now, just a few months into the 2025 season, that deal looks like one of the best bargains in baseball.
Coming off a disastrous 2024 campaign with the Angels, Canning didn’t inspire much confidence. He led the American League with 99 earned runs allowed and finished with an ugly 5.19 ERA, raising serious questions about his long-term viability as a major league starter. But Stearns, never afraid to take a calculated risk, saw something worth salvaging and he’s been proven right.
Under the guidance of the Mets’ revamped pitching development staff, Canning has rediscovered his form. He’s tightened his mechanics, sharpened his off-speed offerings, and significantly improved his command. The results have been startling: he’s gone from an afterthought to a mid-rotation anchor, stabilizing a staff that entered the season with injury concerns and unproven arms.
The value of his $4.5 million deal stands out even more when compared to the inflated market for mid-tier starting pitching. While others shelled out \$12–15 million annually for similar or lesser production, the Mets found an efficient and effective solution in Canning.
It’s another feather in the cap for Stearns, whose mix of aggressive star acquisitions and savvy, low-risk pitching bets has the Mets sitting in first place in the NL East and looking like a legitimate contender. Canning’s resurgence is not just a personal turnaround it’s emblematic of the smarter, more strategic era unfolding in Queens.
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