Angels lineup vs. Oakland Athletics: Griffin Canning tries to overcome struggles

The Angels, who have lost eight of the last nine games and have the second-worst record (8-19) in baseball, will look to turn their season around with a 1 p.m. game against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.

Angels right-hander Griffin Canning (0-3, 4.70 ERA) will oppose A’s right-hander Chris Bassitt (2-0, 2.93 ERA) in the Oakland Coliseum. Canning has allowed seven earned runs in 8 2/3 innings over his last two starts, including an 8-4 loss to the A’s in Anaheim on Aug. 12.

Struggling designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who was given Friday night off to work on his swing, returns to the lineup and will bat fifth. Ohtani is batting .171 (13 for 76) with a .623 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, four homers and 11 RBIs in 19 games.

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who returned Friday night after missing four weeks because of a left-ankle sprain, is not in Saturday’s lineup. Angels manager Joe Maddon said Friday that Simmons was “still guarding it a little bit,� and that he would ease Simmons back into his full-time role.

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon had four hits Friday night and is batting .524 (22 for 42) over his 11 games. Rendon, who homered in five of the eight games on the last homestand, has multiple hits in five straight games for the first time in his career.

Angels starting lineup for Saturday:

1. David Fletcher — Shortstop
2. Tommy La Stella — First base
3. Mike Trout — Center field
4. Anthony Rendon — Third base
5. Shohei Ohtani — Designated hitter
6. Brian Goodwin — Left field
7. Jo Adell — Right field
8. Jason Castro — Catcher
9. Luis Rengifo — Second base

Griffin Canning — Starting pitcher

(Kent Nishimura; Allison Hong / Los Angeles Times)