UCLA's Canning Continues Concerning Trend in Loss to Rays

UCLA alumni and New York Mets pitcher Griffin Canning is officially on a concerning downwards trend after consecutive troublesome starts on the mound.

Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, Canning took the mound with the hopes of shaking off what was previously his worst start of the season. Instead, the six-year veteran allowed six earned runs, four hits and five walks over 4.1 innings, leading to his third loss of the season.

The loss shoots Canning's season ERA up to a 3.88 over 68.2 innings pitched in 14 starts.

In his 13th start of the season against the Nationals, Canning (6-3) gave up four earned runs over 5.1 innings. He also gave up seven hits and two walks in 87 pitches. Jeff McNeil and the Mets batters saved Canning from a loss by storming back and winning the game in the 10th inning.

It may be a long shot now more than ever, but like nearly every arm in New York's starting rotation, Canning was putting together a season worthy of All-Star consideration. Mets fans certainly thought so, at least.

The former bruin has the fourth-highest ERA of the Mets' rotation, just ahead of Tyler Megil (3.95) and behind Clay Holmes (2.87), David Peterson (2.49) and Kodai Senga (1.47).

Canning spent two season with UCLA. In 2017, he was a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, D1Baseball, Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game/Rawlings All-American second team selection, All-Pac-12 team selection, named to Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and the team leader in innings pitched, strikeouts and ERA, just to name a few of his accomplishments.

The then-junior started 17 games and boasted a 2.34 ERA and 7-4 record over 119.0 innings pitched. Canning was drafted by the Angels with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He finished his career with the Bruins sixth all-time in strikeouts with 301 after two seasons.

Though an All-Star nod is as far-fetched as it has been all season, Canning is having a revival year after spending the last five seasons with the Angels and struggling to boast an ERA lower than a 3.99. The hopes for the 29-year-old is that he will buck this trend sooner rather than later.