Pirates Opponent Confirms Devastating Injury Diagnosis Before Series

The New York Mets suffered a significant blow before heading to PNC Park for a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Griffin Canning exited Thursday’s start after sustaining a non-contact leg injury. The right-handed pitcher couldn’t place any weight on his left foot as he got carried off the field.

Hours before facing the Pirates, the Mets confirmed the feared diagnosis. They placed Canning on the 60-day injured list with a ruptured left Achilles, almost certainly ending a triumphant 2025 season.

Canning couldn’t find consistent success with the Los Angeles Angels, posting a 4.78 ERA in five seasons. He signed a modest $4.25 million contract with the Mets after registering a 5.19 ERA and career-worst 17.6 strikeout percentage in 2024.

Spring injuries to Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas cleared a rotation spot for Canning, who authored a 3.77 ERA in 16 starts. The 29-year-old upped his strikeout percentage to 21.3 and generated a career-high 50.9 percent ground-ball rate.

Canning began to slow down from a stellar start, but he started June by tossing six scoreless innings against a prolific Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. Montas is scheduled to pitch against the Pirates on Sunday after returning Tuesday, but Canning now joins Manaea, Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill on the IL.

“It sucks,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday night, per SNY. “You hate to see it, especially the way he went down right away… I feel sorry for the guy, especially how big he’s been for us the whole year.”

The Mets recalled Blake Tidwell, who allowed 13 hits, six walks and eight runs in two big-league appearances this season. They’ll need a lengthy outing from David Peterson against Pittsburgh on Friday, as the bullpen recorded the final 19 outs of Thursday’s 4-0 win over the Atlanta Braves after Canning’s injury.

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