The Mets love the Braves’ sloppy seconds! After Atlanta traded Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Griffin Canning, they non-tendered the right-handed pitcher, leading to New York signing him in free agency.
The deal is worth $4.25 million over one year with a $1 million performance bonus. His projected arbitration salary was a little over $5 million, so this free agent contract is in line with that projection. For the Braves, the trade was all about shedding Jorge Soler’s salary.
The 28-year-old will likely compete for a spot in the Mets’ rotation but could be relegated to a long relief role if things don’t work out. His best season came during the shortened 2020 campaign, as he turned in a 3.99 ERA through 11 starts. However, that is the only season in which he recorded an ERA south of 4.00.
Canning pitched to a 4.32 ERA across 127 innings two seasons ago, while regressing this past year, boasting a 5.19 ERA over a career-high 171.2 frames. His strikeout rate dropped from 25.9% to a career-low 17.6%, and the stuff took a step backwards as well.
The Mets rotation doesn’t inspire much confidence, but money really is no object to them, so while the Braves balked at Canning’s $5.1 million projected salary, it won’t hurt New York at all if they just have to wipe their hands clean of the veteran.
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Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sports
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