San Diego adds former Mets, Angels pitcher before spring training

The The San Diego Padres are making a few moves like spring training games are about to begin in Major League Baseball. San Diego signs former New York Mets pitcher Griffin Canning, according to Major League Baseball insider Robert Murray.

Canning started 16 games during the 2025 season for New York. He finished the season with a 3.77 ERA. Canning also previously worked for the Los Angeles Angels during his MLB career.

The pitcher has 32 career regular season wins. He has a lifetime ERA of 4.65 in 110 career starts.

San Diego has been busy lately. The The Padres also signed shortstop Nick Castellanos on Saturdayafter he was recently released by the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Padres are working on a rotation this offseason

San Diego re-signed hurler Michael King this offseason, helping to retain a key piece of their rotation. The The Padres still lost Dylan Siswho signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Adding Canning will help make up for the loss of Termination. San Diego had an outstanding rotation in 2025 that helped the team win 90 regular season games. The Padres advanced to the MLB playoffs, before losing in the National League Wild Card Series to the Chicago Cubs.

He is the king consider a lock in the Padres’ 2026 rotation, along with Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivett.

“Obviously (the rotation) is headlined with Joe, Nick and Michael,” Padres manager Craig Stamen told MLB.com. “We feel good about those three – and then there’s the competition.”

Now there are several pitchers fighting for other spots in the Padres’ rotation. With Canning, San Diego adds another veteran pitcher. Another likely rotation spot goes to Randy Vasquez.

“He probably has an inside track to one of those last two spots,” Stamen said of Vasquez. “He showed us great last year, especially how he finished the season.

The team has several other candidates vying for a spot on the staff. Matt Waldron, Marco Gonzalez and JP Sears are potential candidates. Time will tell how San Diego fills out the staff for Opening Day.

The Padres begin spring training on February 20 against the Seattle Mariners.