Angels pitcher Griffin Canning out for remainder of season

The Angels’ arguably best pitcher, 23-year old Griffin Canning, has been shut down for the season by the team. He has mild inflammation of the elbow.

This is Canning’s second trip to the IL this year; the first was for a similar issue. Canning slipped in the 2017 MLB Draft because of concerns over his workload. He would consistently throw 120+ pitches while at UCLA. Although he was a first-round talent, the Angels were able to snag him in the second round. The year they drafted him, they didn’t allow him to pitch.

The strategy seems to have worked up until now. Canning made it to the majors very quickly, and he has compiled a 5-6 record, a 4.58 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP in 90.1 innings in the big leagues this year.

While there may been many clamoring for him to get Tommy John surgery right now, it’s worth noting that many pitchers do not come back successfully from the operation, and it’s always best for a pitcher to exhaust all other options before going under the knife.

And obviously, there is a risk of him not being available to pitch in 2020.