The Angels lost George Klassen to the 15-day injured list on Sunday, a setback for a rotation that was already being stretched thin, but it also forces a change that could help a bullpen that has been asked to carry too much.
Klassen is dealing with lower back inflammation, and the move came before the Angels’ afternoon game against the Phillies in Anaheim. The right-hander said the discomfort showed up the morning after his start on Monday night, when he felt more sore than normal.
“Some movements feel a little restricted, but I mean, we're making progress right now,” Klassen said.
Even with only a month left in the season, Klassen said he is not worried this will become a long-term issue. He’s still playing catch, and he said his back already feels better than it did on Tuesday. The Angels, though, aren’t interested in forcing the issue.
“Just out of precaution,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said of putting Klassen on the injured list. “You want to make sure that we can get it before it turns into something big.
But he's not concerned about it. We're not concerned about it.
But just to stay ahead of it.”
Suzuki said the club has not yet discussed any innings management for Klassen, whose 118 innings between Triple-A Salt Lake and the majors are the most of his professional career.
Before the injury, the 24-year-old was on an upward run. Since returning to the big leagues at the beginning of August, he has posted a 2.01 ERA in four starts, striking out 18 over 22 1/3 innings.
“He's been making huge strides,” Suzuki said. “I think the consistency and those types of things have been getting better and better every time it gets out.
And you can kind of see the comfort level, I think, within every start. It gets a little bit more comfortable for every start and seeing the results.”
Klassen’s absence does create a short-term opening for the Angels, who had been using a six-man rotation since left-hander Yusei Kikuchi came off the injured list last week. That setup has taken a toll on the bullpen.
Since the Angels shifted to six starters, their relievers have put up a 5.18 ERA in 24 1/3 innings. That’s a sharp dip from the unit’s earlier run, when it ranked fifth-best in baseball since the All-Star break with a 3.12 ERA over 121 1/3 innings.
Because Klassen had been lined up to start on Monday, the rotation will move up a day. Right-hander Walbert Ureña will get the ball in the series opener against the Yankees on Monday.
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