Some pitchers break your heart. They come in with hype, electric stuff, and a gleam of potential—and then it fizzles. That was Griffin Canning.
Watching his 2024 season unfold was like watching a concert pianist forget the keys. He had the tools, but the music just wouldn’t come.
Canning led the American League in earned runs last year with 99. His 5.19 ERA painted him as damaged goods. But in the shadows of free agency disappointment, one team saw something everyone else missed.
The New York Mets didn’t just see a reclamation project; they saw a blueprint.
With $4.25 million and a vision, the Mets made a bet. And it’s paying off.
The Mets’ secret sauce: turning coal into diamonds on the mound
The Mets have quietly become baseball’s version of a pitching rehabilitation clinic. If your ERA is in ruins but your arm still hums with life, Queens might be your last hope.
It’s not magic, but it does feel like it. Jeremy Hefner and Desi Druschel, along with a development staff that thrives on nuance, have cracked the code.
Their success stories stack up like trophies on a shelf. They don’t just fix pitchers; they redefine them.
Canning, once drifting aimlessly on the Angels’ poorly steered ship, found direction in a Mets uniform. And it started with strategy.
Learning how to pitch, not just throw, made all the difference
Canning didn’t come to New York and suddenly throw 100 mph. His breaking balls didn’t magically become nastier. What changed was how he used them.
The Mets’ brain trust encouraged him to frontload at-bats with sliders and curveballs—his most effective pitches—and hold back the fastball as a surprise, not a staple.
It’s like a chef realizing the secret isn’t the ingredients but the order in which they’re used. Canning began getting ahead in counts, forcing hitters to chase his heater instead of teeing off on it.
With this revamped approach, he carved up lineups and stacked zeroes.
Entering Saturday’s matchup with the Yankees, he had logged 42 innings with a sparkling 2.36 ERA. Just months ago, that would’ve sounded like fiction.
The Yankees wanted him too, but the Mets made the stronger case
Before his resurgence, Canning drew interest from several teams, including the Yankees. In a moment of honesty, Yanks manager Aaron Boone admitted he wasn’t surprised by Canning’s success.
Aaron Boone shares the Yankees had interest in signing Griffin Canning this past winter:
“I’m not overly surprised by the success he’s having” pic.twitter.com/5UKpbvDqdZ
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 17, 2025
That little shrug of “we were interested” says a lot—New York saw the potential but couldn’t wrap up a deal.
The Mets did, and Canning took off.
Sometimes it’s not just about money—it’s about vision. The Mets didn’t promise him a rotation spot, just a chance. That was enough.
He entered spring training fighting for a roster spot and is now, arguably, their most reliable starter.
With Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, and Paul Blackburn all nearing returns, Canning could have been a temporary solution. But now? You don’t fix what’s not broken. The rotation’s door is staying open for him.
From discarded to indispensable: the story fans can rally behind
What makes Canning’s rise so satisfying is its relatability. Who hasn’t been overlooked or misunderstood in the wrong environment? Who hasn’t wanted just one more chance in the right hands?
Watching him thrive with the Mets is like seeing a jigsaw piece finally land in the puzzle it was meant for. The stuff was always there but the guidance wasn’t. Until now.
Pitchers like Canning remind us why baseball endures. It’s not just a game of numbers, but of faith, opportunity, and transformation.
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