Griffin Canning (SP, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups Week 9

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 33% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: You need a top-tier starter who can provide strikeouts, limit baserunners, win games, and provide a strong ERA? If so, why haven’t you added Griffin Canning, who owns a 3.42 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 28.3 K%? Canning’s numbers in the PCL were a little better than his performance in the majors, but the two are comparable enough that we are clearly dealing with a pitcher whose abilities match his success so far.

Among starters who have faced 100 batters, Canning’s .255 xwOBA ranks 13th. Canning only threw 112.1 IP last season, so it’s hard to imagine that the Angels will let him go far beyond 165 IP this season, but 165 IP at these rates is basically the equivalent of James Paxton. Canning has been on our SP Waiver Wire board for three weeks now, and the fact that he’s still available in over two-thirds of leagues is beyond all belief especially because he looks like an arm that can provide quality innings and wins with the support of the Angels’ 11th-ranked offense. Canning is one of few true upside pitchers left this season, and he needs to be owned in all formats.