When starting pitcher Griffin Canning takes the mound, the Mets seem to always win. That's exactly what occurred in his eighth straight start.

Canning was a former top prospect who never reached his ceiling in five seasons with the Angels, then hit free agency as, essentially, a buy-low candidate. The Yankees were interested, manager Aaron Boone said, likely as part of a Plan A: If Juan Soto stayed and the Yankees had to scrimp elsewhere, they wanted to chat with Canning.

Griffin Canning took the mound at Yankee Stadium on Saturday wearing a New York Mets jersey, but had things played out differently for the Yankees this past offseason, he might have donned the iconic pinstripes instead.