Angels Starter is Having Nightmare-Fueled Season on Mound

He has struggled all season.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Griffin Canning gave up eight hits and seven earned runs in Saturday's 11-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves, just another reminder that this has been a season to forget for Canning and the Angels.

The 28-year-old right-hander is one of the lowest ranked pitchers in the majority of metrics this season. Canning is second-last in ERA, and a 5.29 fielding independent pitching, worst in MLB. Only Washington Nationals starter Patrick Corbin has a worse ERA, with a 5.92 ERA through 25 starts.

5.41 ERA on the season for Griffin Canning— second worst ERA in MLB, behind Pat Corbin.

Canning’s 5.29 FIP is the worst in MLB.#BonVoyage

— BTH (@BeyondTheHalo) August 18, 2024

Through 25 starts this season, Canning is 4-11 with a 5.41 ERA and 96 strikeouts. He has given up 80 earned runs this season, third-most in MLB. In only one start this season has Canning gone without allowing an earned run. Just five of his starts this season have been deemed "quality starts" this season.

"In this game, sometimes things just don’t go your way,” Angels manager Ron Washington said, via The Athletic's Sam Blum. “But he hasn’t stopped fighting. Every time it’s time for him to take the ball, he’s taken it. … It’s a learning period for him. He’s just got to keep grinding and hope that he learns a heck of a lot out of this season.”

What's made this so disappointing is the Angels were hopeful of what Canning could do this season. Canning missed the entire 2022 season as he dealt with a back injury, and came back in 2023 with a promising season in which he went 7-8 with a 4.32 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 2022. Canning has already made more starts this season, but has significantly fewer strikeouts and a much lower strikeout to walk ratio.

“It’s been really tough,” Canning said. “It’s not fun to go out there and be putting the team down. … But I’m trying to stay optimistic and keep working.”

Between Canning's struggles and the loss of Shohei Ohtani — their No. 1 starter last season, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent last December — the Angels have one of the worst pitching staffs in MLB.

The Angels currently rank No. 27 in MLB in ERA, with a 4.55 team ERA. The team continues to struggle with finding consistency at the position, especially from homegrown players, which has been a major factor in the team failing to make the playoffs over the last decade.