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Try it freeThere was a rash of Achilles injuries across the NBA during the postseason, and Mets pitcher Griffin Canning has a personal connection with a hoops star who has dealt with the surgery in recent years.
NBA stars Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton all suffered the same season-ending injury during the playoffs that Canning sustained in the third inning of his start last Thursday against the Braves.
“It sucks. Obviously, I want to and wanted to be out there with the guys, but I just love baseball, so I think that’s probably the worst part, is I just don’t get to play for a while,” Canning said before Tuesday’s rainout at Citi Field in his first public comments since undergoing season-ending surgery on Friday. “I think I’ll be doing some research and reading up on all the basketball players and stuff that have had this so, yeah, figure out what to do.”
Canning, who finished the season with a 7-3 record and a 3.77 ERA in 16 starts after signing with the Mets as a free agent from the Angels, said he hasn’t reached out yet to Klay Thompson.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The five-time NBA All-Star missed more than two full seasons after tearing his Achilles in 2020 while already recovering from an ACL injury.
“I’m good friends with Trayce, so he kind of connected me with his brother,” Canning said. “So it’s pretty early in the stages of this. Once I have some questions, I’m gonna reach out to Klay, for sure.”
The 29-year-old Canning emerged as a bargain for the Mets after inking a one-year deal worth $4.25 million in the offseason, and this injury likely will cost him a bigger payday in free agency this winter.
“I felt like I was just executing pitches and had a good understanding of what I wanted to do going out there,” Canning said. “Yeah, it sucks. That last game, I felt like I took something from the [previous] game in Philly, and felt like I was getting better. But it is what it is.
“I think there’s a lot of positives to build off. It was just awesome being part of this group of guys. So I’m looking forward to sticking around and helping in any way I can, and just taking it one day at a time.”
The Mets also presently have starting pitchers Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill and Sean Manaea on the injured list, though Manaea was slated to resume his minor league rehab assignment Tuesday night for Double-A Binghamton at Hartford. Free agent signing Frankie Montas recently returned from a season-opening IL stint.
Canning said his doctors “didn’t really give me an exact timeline, but maybe like nine months” before he can return. The veteran righty added that the surgery was “not super painful or anything,” and the initial injury felt like “somebody kicked me in the back of the leg.”
“The doctor said it went really well. I saw him [Monday], got the splint off. There wasn’t that much swelling or bruising or anything,” said Canning, who was on crutches and wearing an immobilization boot. “It stinks. I’m a competitor. I want to play. I want to be with the team. I’ll be here for every game I can and help in any way I can from here on out.
“Maybe I can [provide] kind of an outsider-looking-in perspective, and might be able to see some things. I’ll sit down with Hef [pitching coach Jeremy Hefner] and [assistant] Desi [Druschel] and see how I can help.”