Angels’ Albert Pujols out until at least Tuesday
DETROIT — Albert Pujols won’t play until at least Tuesday, Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said after Pujols tested the stiffness in his right calf by running at Comerica Park on Saturday.
“It’s not setting up well enough to play with a governor on, so we’ll take advantage of these days and the off day,” Monday, Scioscia said. “The risk is still there.”
Pujols, who has 28 home runs and 86 runs batted in, injured his calf Wednesday in Boston running to third after a double. He said Friday he sought to return to play Saturday, but returned from his running session and put a light wrap on his calf.
Scioscia said he’s reluctant to let Pujols hit in Detroit because “he’d have to run.”
On a positive note
C.J. Wilson gave up six runs in two innings against Boston on Thursday, his 11th consecutive start without picking up a win. But he’s focusing on the positives.
“I had a lot better life on my cutter; my stuff is better than it was,” Wilson said, noting that only 10 of his first 40 pitches were balls.
The left-hander is 9-9, not exactly what the Angels wanted when they lured Wilson as a free agent from division rival Texas for five years and $77.5 million.
There’s been a closed-door meeting with coaches and a push for Wilson to be less analytical on the mound.
Yet, Wilson expressed confidence about both his Wednesday rematch with the Red Sox in Anaheim, and beyond.
“I look at it as a great confluence, with the bad results getting out of the way and now there’s nothing to stop me from pitching the way I did in the first half,” he said.
Catching on
Some recent passed balls and an admission he was not “on the same page” with ace Jered Weaver last week revealed the challenge of catcher Chris Iannetta’s first season.
His effort to increase familiarity with the staff was put on hold when Iannetta missed 67 games with a fractured wrist.
“I’ve done all I can to get comfortable with them,” Iannetta said, “… getting to know their stuff that given day.”
A bright side has been Iannetta’s recent hitting. He had nine hits in 17 at-bats in the first four games of this trip and entered Saturday game 13 for 32 with seven RBIs over nine games.
More to Read
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.