Griffin Canning’s 2025 campaign started with promise in Queens - but ended in heartbreak.
After a strong opening stretch with the Mets, where he posted a 2.61 ERA through March and April, Canning’s season took a sharp turn. His ERA climbed to 4.09 in May and ballooned to 5.01 in June.
Then came the gut punch: in his final start of the month against the Braves, Canning ruptured his Achilles tendon - an injury that ended his season and halted what had been shaping up as a bounce-back year. He finished the season with a 7-3 record and a 3.77 ERA.
Now, the 29-year-old right-hander is looking for a fresh start out west. Over the weekend, Canning reportedly agreed to a deal with the San Diego Padres - a move that could reunite him with Southern California and potentially give the Padres some much-needed depth in their rotation.
As of Monday morning, the deal was still pending a physical, but the interest from San Diego makes sense. Canning, a native of Mission Viejo, Calif. - nestled between L.A. and San Diego - has long been viewed as a pitcher with upside when healthy. He was drafted by the Angels in the second round out of UCLA back in 2017 and spent the first five seasons of his MLB career in Anaheim.
Last offseason, the Angels traded him to the Braves, but Atlanta pivoted quickly, non-tendering him before he ever threw a pitch for them. That opened the door for the Mets, who brought him in on a one-year, $4.25 million deal.
Early on, that investment looked sharp. Canning showed flashes of the form that once made him one of the more intriguing young arms in the American League.
But as the season wore on, the wear and tear - and ultimately the Achilles injury - derailed that momentum.
The Padres, who’ve been active in reshaping their roster this offseason, are clearly betting on Canning’s recovery. While it’s still uncertain whether he’ll be ready for Opening Day, a healthy Canning could be in the mix for one of the final spots in San Diego’s rotation - a group that could use both experience and upside.
At this stage, the Padres don’t need Canning to be an ace. But if he can return to the form he showed early last year - mixing a sharp fastball with a deceptive changeup and solid command - he could be a valuable piece of the puzzle. For a team looking to stay competitive in a tough NL West, it’s a low-risk move with potential upside.
And for Canning, it’s a shot at redemption - back home in Southern California, with a chance to prove he’s still got plenty left in the tank.