Padres to sign former Angels, Mets 3.77 ERA starter to free agent contract

The San Diego Padres have been looking to add to their starting pitching depth this offseason. They have a few starters, but with Nick Pivetta potentially being traded, depth is still a need.

Add on that Yu Darvish is not coming back in 2026, and the Padres have a very clear need in the rotation. Fortunately, the Padres have a plan.

According to Robert Murray of Fansided.com, the Padres and former New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels starter Griffin Canning are in agreement on a one-year contract.

Padres to sign Griffin Canning to one-year contract

"Free-agent pitcher Griffin Canning and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a contract, pending physical, according to sources familiar with the deal," Murray reports.

This news from Murray came right alongside the Padres making another move, a one-year contract for Nick Castellanos. While the Castellanos move drew the most attention, Canning is the much more impactful addition for the Padres.

With some question marks in the starting rotation, adding a veteran like Canning is a great move for the Padres this offseason.

This past season for the Mets, Canning made 17 starts, posting a solid 3.77 ERA with a 7-3 record, and 1.1 bWAR in his sixth year in the big leagues.

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It was a massive step-up from his production on the Angels, where he averaged a 4.78 ERA during his five seasons with the Angels.

While this past season might be more of a fluke, if he can carry that momentum to the Padres, he will be a great addition to the rotation.

After Michael King, the Padres rotation consists of Pivetta (who might be traded), Joe Musgrove (coming off a lengthy injury recovery), and depth starters in Randy Vasquez and JP Sears.

The Padres need more help in the starting rotation, and the addition of Canning, a six-year MLB veteran who's been a solid starter, is a great move for A.J. Preller to make.

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