Canning sent to Triple-A to work on his command
ANAHEIM >> Griffin Canning became the third Angels pitcher to lose his place in the starting rotation when he was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday. The Angels need only five starting pitchers through the All-Star break, and conceivably another 10 days thereafter.
The decision to demote Canning was surprising nonetheless. The 25-year-old right-hander debuted with the Angels in April 2019, two years after he was drafted out of UCLA. He missed time that year with elbow inflammation but never spent a day in the minor leagues until now.
Canning is 5-4 with a 5.60 earned-run average in 14 games (13 starts) this season. Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, Canning allowed six runs in 2 2/3 innings, walking two while striking out none. Afterward, Manager Joe Maddon said, the decision to send him to Triple-A “became obvious.”
Maddon said the goal for Canning is to be more consistent with his fastball command.
“He’s missed a lot up, and around the zone up,” Maddon said. “In order to get to these other really good pitches he has, the fastball command has to improve. It’s not really a complicated issue.”
The Angels selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Andrew Wantz from Salt Lake, and designated outfielder Scott Schebler for assignment in a corresponding 40-man roster move.
Canning joins right-hander Dylan Bundy and left-hander Jose Quintana on a growing list of deposed rotation stalwarts. While Bundy and Quintana try to regain their form out of the bullpen, Canning will head to Triple-A.
“I remember Roy Halladay got sent back at one time,” Maddon said. “A lot of really good pitchers Cliff Lee got sent back at one time. It’s not earth shattering. It’s not the first time it’s ever occurred. You do the right things, you can come back even stronger. The precedent has been set with some really good pitchers.”
In 43 career games (41 starts), all with the Angels, Canning is 12-13 with a 4.73 ERA.
Meet the new guy
Wantz, 25, started five games and relieved three others at Salt Lake. He has a 2.81 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 25 Triple-A innings this season.
Although he’s been stretched out to pitch four innings, Maddon said Wantz’s role in the bullpen requires less durability:
“to pop him in there when it’s necessary.”
After getting the call at 1:30 a.m. local time in Oklahoma City, Wantz said he got only three hours’ sleep before arriving at the ballpark Saturday afternoon.
“I’m just getting my feet wet,” he said Saturday afternoon, before stepping out to the Angel Stadium mound for the first time.
A former seventh-round pick out of UNC-Greensboro, Wantz was chosen “Closest to The Majors,” “Best Pro Debut,” and “Best Secondary Pitch” of anyone in Angels’ 2018 class by Baseball America. Wantz throws a split-fingered fastball, a four-seam fastball, and a slider.
Bundy better
Dylan Bundy had a good line about his first relief appearance of the season Wednesday: “I didn’t throw up, so it was positive.”
Bundy was not so lucky two days earlier. He started against the Yankees and was removed after just 1 2/3 innings due to heat exhaustion. As the old saying goes, Bundy left it all on the field.
A relief role is nothing new to the 28-year-old veteran. In 2016, he made 22 appearances out of the Orioles’ bullpen. Bundy thrived in the role, posting a 3.08 ERA across 38 innings compared to his 4.52 ERA as a starter.
His two scoreless innings against the Yankees on Wednesday were a step in the right direction.
“I lasted more than my start in the relief role, so I guess it was a positive outing for sure,” he said.
Also
Shohei Ohtani’s next starting pitching assignment is Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox. Maddon is planning for that to be Ohtani’s last pitching appearance before the All-Star break. … The Angels have 25 players on their 26-man roster for now. Schebler’s roster spot is expected to go to outfielder Justin Upton when he’s activated from the 10-day injured list, as soon as Sunday. … Maddon said he hasn’t decided whether Upton will return to the leadoff spot in the batting order.