ARLINGTON, Texas _ Los Angeles Angels rookie starting pitcher Griffin Canning will return to the injured list.
Manager Brad Ausmus said Wednesday that the right-hander, who has been the brightest spot in a rotation ravaged by injuries and the death of Tyler Skaggs, experienced a recurrence of the elbow inflammation that sidelined him earlier this month. Canning, the Angels' second-round pick of the 2017 draft, returned to Southern California for testing.
Canning has a 4.58 earned-run average in 90 1/3 innings over 18 outings, but he has pitched better of late. After giving up 16 earned runs in four starts from July 4-25, he has surrendered four earned runs and held opponents to a .238 average in 17 innings over his last three starts.
The 23-year-old looked particularly sharp Sunday when he struck out eight Chicago White Sox batters, gave up one run and five hits and a walk and matched his season high by going seven innings. He did not give up a hit through 3 2/3 innings.
But amid that resurgence, soreness in his elbow cropped up. He had spent 13 days recovering from an injury no one thought was serious.
The Angels do not think the injury is serious this time, either, but they might exercise caution. Only 32 games remain after Wednesday's series finale in Arlington. Including the 16 innings he threw at triple A at the start of the season, Canning is just seven away from matching his innings total from 2018.
"You talk about a young talented pitcher, you're worried," Ausmus said. "But right now we have no concerns it's anything more than inflammation _ and mild inflammation at that.
"I won't read any more into it. It actually makes sense that sometimes it gets re-aggravated."
