Sometimes you just need a change of scenery. When the New York Mets signed Griffin Canning and Clay Holmes this past offseason, nobody saw this coming, especially not two of their biggest rivals who gave up on them. Canning was very briefly a member of the Atlanta Braves after coming over from the Los Angeles Angels in the Jorge Soler trade. He was not with Atlanta for even a month...
Holmes had his ups and downs as a high-profile relief pitcher for the New York Yankees. After struggling out of the bullpen down the stretch last season, he signed a three-year deal with the rival Mets. Even stranger, he was converted into being a starting pitcher. Through their first eight combined starts, Canning and Holmes are a combined 4-2 with sub-4.00 ERAs and 49 strikeouts.
Admittedly, I do not know how sustainable this is, but for right now, the Braves are certainly eating crow, and the Yankees are having another healthy helping of some humble pie. While the Yankees are doing fine atop the loaded AL East standings, the Braves are among the very worst teams in baseball. While they could be a second-half team again for all we know, Mets fans are cackling in their misery.
New York may have the lineup to win the National League, but the rotation could be what sinks them.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Griffin Canning and Clay Holmes have been New York Mets revelations
Every so often, it presents itself. A team of destiny, if you will. That is not to say that this year's Mets are going to be that team, but they could be that team. For as daunting as the Los Angeles Dodgers look over in the NL West, there are reasons why no team has repeated as World Series champions since the 1998-00 Yankees three-peated. Until it happens, I will pick the field over the Dodgers here.
Where I think it matters the most with the Mets is they are an ascending team in a talented NL East division. Atlanta cannot possibly be this bad the rest of the way, but the Braves may be a downward-trending team. As far as the Philadelphia Phillies are concerned, I am afraid that they missed out on their World Series window. They are no longer getting the financial support they need to contend.
So that leaves us with a team like the Mets, one who just found ways to win anyway a year ago. They have star power, as illustrated with the likes of Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and the recently acquired Juan Soto. All three can carry a lineup with their bats, but what happens if the bats fall to sleep in October? The Mets are going to need to rely on guys like Canning and Holmes in the rotation.
Right now, I have the Mets making the playoffs and winning multiple series, but not yet a champion.