Angels still waiting for news on the extent of Patrick Sandoval’s elbow injury
Sandoval underwent an MRI exam on Saturday, but the Angels had no details on the result of that exam to report on Saturday afternoon. Sandoval was placed on the injured list with a left elbow strain.
LOS ANGELES — The Angels put left-hander Patrick Sandoval on the injured list on Saturday, as expected, but they still didn’t have any more to report about the extent of his injury.
“We’re still waiting,” manager Ron Washington said. “There’s nothing more than what you guys have.”
Sandoval left Friday’s game with what was initially called forearm tightness. He went for an MRI exam on Saturday, and the Angels later described the injury as a left elbow strain when they placed him on the injured list.
Sandoval did not speak to the media on Saturday, but Washington said he seemed to be in a good place emotionally.
“His spirits are up,” Washington said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to wait and find out. It might not be as bad as he thinks… That’s the way he’s acting. He’s acting like Sandy. If you didn’t know we put him on the IL, you wouldn’t know it.”
The Angels activated right-hander Guillo Zuñiga to take Sandoval’s roster spot. Zuñiga had been out since April 8 with a right pectoral strain.
The Angels don’t need a starter until Wednesday, after right-hander Griffin Canning and left-hander Tyler Anderson pitch the first two games against the Oakland A’s on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
They could use either right-hander Chase Silseth or left-hander Reid Detmers, who are both pitching at Triple-A.
Washington wouldn’t rule out either one of them, but he said that they so far haven’t shown the Angels that they’re ready.
Detmers, who was optioned after struggling in the majors, has a 5.50 ERA in three starts, which includes allowing four earned runs in 13 innings in his last two starts.
Silseth, who is on a rehab assignment after dealing with elbow inflammation, has a 10.22 ERA in three starts.
“They haven’t really been performing,” Washington said.
He acknowledged, however, that the box score line in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League isn’t always a true indication of the way a pitcher has performed.
“It’s not results oriented,” Washington said. “It’s our pitching experts down there deciding if they’re ready to come back and pitch in the big leagues. They say they need more work.”
Angels pitching coach Barry Enright said that Detmers is “trending in the right direction.” He said Silseth’s previous outing was “more encouraging” that his outing on Friday, when he gave up five runs.
“You don’t want to speed up the process too much for either of them,” Enright said. “You want them to be right when they get back here. You want them to be confident. You want them to be commanding things.”
NOTES
Infielder Miguel Sanó continues to play at Triple-A as part of a rehab assignment, but Washington acknowledged that it’s no longer his health that’s keeping him out of the big leagues. “We don’t have a place for him right now,” Washington said. …
Second baseman Brandon Drury was out of the lineup for a third straight game because of an illness, but he went through a workout on the field. “Put him on the field and get him moving around and see how things go,” Washington said. …
Left-hander José Suarez, who was designated for assignment on Monday, will have his status determined by this coming Monday. The Angels took some time to try to trade him before placing him on waivers.
UP NEXT
Athletics (RHP Luis Medina, 1-2, 4.71) at Angels (RHP Griffin Canning, 2-8, 5.02) at Angel Stadium, 6:38 p.m. PT Monday, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.