Mets hope to make Braves look silly with value pitching pick up

The New York Mets feel confident in their ability to get the most out of any new addition to their pitching staff with Jeremy Hefner handling their arms. If their newest addition works out, there will be a cherry on top by showing up the Atlanta Braves.

On Wednesday night, Anthony DiComo reported that the Mets picked up former Angels pitcher Griffin Canning on a one-year, $4.25-million deal. LA had traded him to the Braves for Jorge Soler but Atlanta non-tendered him soon after.

Canning is coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro, so the Braves' decision not to bother with him tracks. However, the Mets obviously think they can coach something more out of him.

Canning was 6-13 in 31 starts for the Angels in 2024. His ERA was 5.19 but his WHIP was 1.398, which isn't terrible. Moreover, he had an ERA+ above 100 in 2019, 2020 and 2023. While his raw numbers don't look great, he's had some solid moments in his career.

Mets are looking for value in Braves cast-off Griffin Canning

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a game-changing addition for the Mets. They should still be looking for a high-end arm to truly upgrade their rotation.

But on a relatively cheap deal, he could be worth taking a look. The Angels haven't exactly done a good job developing pitchers in recent years. Hefner could make something of him. And if he can't, the Mets can let him go without much trouble.

The Mets have Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn on the backend of their rotation. Canning is another arm to give them injury insurance.

At worst, he's someone New York can experiment with. If they can figure out how to limit the number of home runs he gives up, he could become of use. He's got good enough stuff to consider a bullpen role too.