Anderson will have ligament surgery

Reliever Justin Anderson won’t pitch for the Angels for the foreseeable future. The team announced Friday that Anderson, the Angels’ 14th-round pick in the 2014 draft, tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will undergo Tommy John surgery next week.

Anderson, who was slowed in spring training by an oblique muscle strain and missed a few weeks last season because of soreness in his right trapezius, said he felt something off in his elbow pitching in a July 10 intrasquad game. He continued to pitch through discomfort, thinking maybe “I was just being soft.”

After four consultations, Anderson and medical professionals figured at worst he might have bone chips in his elbow. An MRI exam done after inflammation in his elbow had gone down revealed a full tear of his UCL.

Anderson will return to his home state of Texas, where he will be operated on by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas on Wednesday.

The Angels often send pitchers to Dr. Neal ElAttrache of Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles, but Meister came highly recommended.

Anderson also liked the option Meister provided: Rather than replace the torn ligament with a tendon from another part of the body, Meister will reinforce Anderson’s elbow tissue with a muscle.

“Theoretically, you like to think about it, you’re going to put a muscle back in your elbow,” Anderson said. “Well, that seems pretty smart. You’re just going to add strength to a ligament right there. That just makes sense to me.

“To me, in my mind, it seems like I will come back stronger. It’ll be more foolproof, I believe.”

Anderson, who debuted in 2018, had a 4.75 ERA, issued 72 walks and struck out 127 batters in 111 outings the last two seasons.

He was expected to slot into a middle-relief role this season.

Unlike in previous years, the Angels have enough depth to absorb Anderson’s absence.

Among the options is Jacob Barnes, a nonroster invite about whom manager Joe Maddon has raved since spring training.

Short hops

Third baseman Anthony Rendon was scratched from Friday’s intrasquad game because of tightness in his oblique muscle . ... Brian Goodwin fouled a ball off his right leg in the middle of an at-bat and was removed from the game . ... Righthander Julio Teheran, who has missed the first three weeks of training camp, arrived at Angel Stadium for the first time . ... Of note from the 61⁄2-inning game: Tommy La Stella homered in a 3-1 count off reliever Noé Ramirez. Starter Matt Andriese had five strikeouts in parts of five innings.