OC Register: Angels place Griffin Canning on IL again with elbow inflammation

[AngelsWin.com]

ARLINGTON, Texas — Griffin Canning, the Angels’ prized rookie pitcher, is headed to the injured list again, a troubling development that could mean the end of his season.

Manager Brad Ausmus said on Wednesday that Canning suffered a recurrence of the elbow inflammation that landed him on the injured list earlier this month. He was sent back to Southern California for further tests.

At the moment, Ausmus said the Angels don’t believe that Canning has a significant injury.

“Obviously you talk about a young talented pitcher, you are worried, but right now we have no concerns that it’s anything more than inflammation,” Ausmus said. “And mild inflammation at that.”

Asked if he expects Canning to pitch again this season, Ausmus said: “I can’t predict that.”

Considering that this is the second time in a month that Canning has been shut down with the same issue, and considering the Angels’ place in the standings, it would seem unlikely that they’d take any chances by having him pitch again this season.

Canning, 23, has a 4.58 ERA in 90-1/3 innings in his rookie season. Although he had trouble in July, two of his past three starts were outstanding. Sandwiched around the previous trip to the injured list, Canning pitched six scoreless innings on July 30, and on Sunday he gave up one run in seven innings, equaling his longest outing of the year.

Shortly after the July 30 start, Canning reported that he was feeling some mild discomfort in his elbow, so the Angels shut him down for 12 days. He returned on Aug. 13 and gave up three runs in four innings, following that with one of his best outings.

Canning was scheduled to start on Friday in Houston, so the Angels have TBA now listed for that game. It could be José Suarez, who was just sent down, or Nick Tropeano.

Dillon Peters and Jaime Barría will pitch the remaining two games in Houston, with Andrew Heaney getting a couple of extra days off. He is scheduled to start next Tuesday at home against the Rangers, who he faced in a dominant eight-inning performance on Tuesday.

“Nothing is wrong with Heaney,” Ausmus said. “I just want to give him the extra day because he did have the previous arm issues (a month out with a shoulder issue in July and August) and he threw 105 pitches, so I want to give him the extra day.”

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[Claude]

Shut down?  So Advil didn’t work.