Angels shut down Griffin Canning with lower back stress fracture
ANAHEIM — Griffin Canning’s disappointing season is over.
After taking a step in his development in 2020, Canning struggled in 2021 and now will miss the remainder of the season because of a stress fracture in his lower back.
The Angels announced the injury on Tuesday, about a month after Canning was placed on the Triple-A injured list with a back injury. Canning also suffered a stress fracture in his back when he was at UCLA.
Manager Joe Maddon said he no information on whether this injury could impact Canning’s health in 2022.
Certainly, his spot on the Angels pitching depth chart had been impacted even before he was hurt.
Canning, 25, posted a 5.60 ERA in 62-2/3 innings before he was demoted to Triple-A. Although he was arguably the Angels second best starter in 2020, he’s now going to have to fight for a 2022 rotation spot in a group including Patrick Sandoval, Jaime Barria, José Suarez, Chris Rodriguez and Reid Detmers.
“I like the idea of a solid, competitive situation,” Maddon said. “Moving forward, you have to earn the right to pitch here on a regular basis.”
STICKING WITH MARSH
Although Brandon Marsh has struggled to a .154 average and .472 OPS in his first 21 big league games, Maddon said he believes the 23-year-old is remaining confident enough to continue to get opportunity.
“He’s not quitting on himself,” Maddon said. “I always look at the individual himself. Is he getting beaten to the point where you need to take it away so he can just regroup a little bit?… To this point, in conversation with him, he’s been fine. He’s been very calmly conversing with me. He’s ready for the day. ‘This is the day I’m going to really show you guys what I’m made of.’ That’s all good stuff.”
NOTES
Maddon said there was “nothing new” on Mike Trout. It’s been 12 weeks since Trout suffered a strained calf. He said he was close to a return in late July, but since then he’s been in a holding pattern, waiting for the discomfort to subside. …
Jared Walsh (right intercostal strain) was going through a workout on Tuesday afternoon to determine if he could be activated.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Dylan Bundy, 2-8, 6.14 ERA) vs. Blue Jays (RHP Alek Manoah, 4-1, 2.58), Wednesday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM