Non-Tendered Braves Player Joins Mets

A veteran the Atlanta Braves allowed to leave in free agency signed a 1-year deal with the New York Mets on Thursday.

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Cue up the Griffin Canning tribute video for June 17.

Ok, not really. Canning never played a game for the Atlanta Braves. But he could face them on the mound this season.

That's because Wednesday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Canning signed a 1-year deal to join the New York Mets.

Free-agent right-hander Griffin Canning in agreement with Mets on one-year, $4.25M contract, pending physical, sources tell @TheAthletic. Deal includes $1M in potential bonuses. The Braves acquired Canning from the Angels in the Jorge Soler trade, then non-tendered him.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2024

The Braves acquired Canning in a Oct. 31 trade for Jorge Soler. But before Thanksgiving, the Braves announced they would not tender Canning a contract. So, he immediately became a free agent.

In effect, the deal involving Canning was a salary dump. The Braves had no intentions of having him pitch for them in 2025.

It's not exactly clear how Canning's deal with the Mets compares to what the Braves would have paid him had they tendered him a deal. Canning made $2.6 million for the 2024 season.

According to Rosenthal, the Mets will pay him $4.25 million in 2025.

But through trading Soler and then non-tendering Canning, the Braves saved $32 million over the next two seasons.

Last season with the Angels, Canning went 6-13 with a 5.19 ERA. His 99 earned runs allowed were the most in the American League. He also had a 1.398 WHIP and 130 strikeouts in 171.2 innings.

Canning had an ERA above 5.00 in 2021 as well. But for his career, he is 25-34 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.

The Mets will make their first trip to Truist Park next year in the middle of June. So, Braves Country will have their first opportunity to thank Canning for helping the team dump salary on June 17.

All joking aside, though, that will also be Canning's first chance to face the team that didn't consider him worth a few million dollars to keep on the roster.

The Braves will square off against the Mets for three games in Atlanta from June 17-19. They will then visit Citi Field for a 4-game set from June 23-26.

If Canning is healthy and in the Mets starting rotation, chances are high he will start one of those games.