Griffin Alexander Canning is an American professional baseball pitcher known for his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels and the New York Mets in Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on May 11, 1996, in Mission Viejo, California, Canning has battled injuries, enjoyed breakout stretches, and become a fan-favorite for his grit on the mound.
Career Stats & Performance Overview
Canning made his MLB debut on April 30, 2019, with the Angels and quickly showcased promise with a strong rookie season. Over six MLB seasons (2019–2025), he has accumulated:
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Win–Loss Record: 32–37
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Earned Run Average (ERA): 4.65
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Strikeouts: 553 over 584+ innings pitched
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WHIP: 1.34
2025 Season (with New York Mets)
In what became one of the best stretches of his career:
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Record: 7–3
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ERA: 3.77
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Strikeouts: 70
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Innings: 76.1
These numbers marked a notable improvement compared to his earlier years with the Angels, where his performance was inconsistent at times.
Contract History
After spending his first five MLB seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Canning entered free agency following the 2024 season. He signed a one-year contract with the New York Mets worth approximately $4.25 million, which also included potential performance bonuses.
Canning’s deal was seen as a low-risk, high-reward opportunity — and early results showed promise before injury struck. As of early 2026, he is a free agent, with multiple clubs reportedly showing interest in his services as he continues to rehab his injury.
Injury & Recovery Updates
A pivotal moment in Canning’s career came during the 2025 season when he suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon in late June while fielding a ground ball — a non-contact injury that abruptly ended his season. The Mets placed him on the 60-day injured list, and he underwent successful surgery.
This injury has a long recovery timeline typically ranging from nine months to over a year, and it impacted his free-agency value as teams weigh his long-term durability. Canning has publicly expressed a positive mindset about rehab and recovery.
Prior to the Achilles issue, Canning also missed the entire 2022 season due to a back injury and had other minor stints on the injured list throughout his career, highlighting the challenges he’s faced staying healthy.
Fangraphs & Advanced Metrics
While detailed Fangraphs analytics require access to that platform’s proprietary data, general advanced metrics for Canning indicate:
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Improved strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2025, showing better command
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Pitch mix refinement, including increased slider usage
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Positive ground-ball rates before injury
These trends suggest the Mets’ pitching staff helped Canning refine his approach, leading to a better ERA and consistency compared to prior seasons. Fangraphs also likely highlights his value in WAR (Wins Above Replacement) contributions before age‐30 and his worth as a mid-rotation starter when healthy. (Note: visit Fangraphs directly for exact WAR, FIP and advanced splits.)
Personal Life – Wife & Family
Unlike many high-profile MLB players with widely publicized personal lives, Griffin Canning keeps his off-field life relatively private. According to online biographies and personal reports, he is reported to be married, though detailed public information about his spouse (such as her name) is not widely available in mainstream sources.
Canning also shares family moments — including posts about marriage anniversaries and partner life — on social media platforms, but he has not made extensive public statements about his wife’s identity or career.
Key Takeaways
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Strong 2025 Resurgence: Canning’s performance before injury marked the best of his MLB career.
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Injury Setback: A ruptured Achilles significantly altered his trajectory and raised questions about his long-term role in MLB rotations.
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Free Agency Ahead: As of 2026, Canning remains a free agent, with interest from teams looking for pitching depth.
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Personal Life Low-Key: Public details about his wife are limited, with most of his focus remaining on baseball and recovery.
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