Los Angeles Angels right-hander Griffin Canning was scheduled to undergo an MRI after again experiencing elbow soreness, manager Joe Maddon said Thursday.
Canning’s rookie season last year ended in August when the team shut him down due to an ailing right elbow.
In his first 2020 spring training appearance, Canning pitched two scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday but felt discomfort after leaving the game, according to Maddon.
Canning, 23, was considered a strong candidate to bolster the starting rotation this season.
“I kind of like when he’s in it,” Maddon said. “I kind of like the thought of him being in it. It definitely would cause us to reconsider.”
The Southern California native compiled a 5-6 record with a 4.58 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 90 1/3 innings over 18 games (17 starts) in 2019. The Angels made him their second-round pick in the 2017 draft out of UCLA.
“He’s got a fabulous arm,” Maddon said. “He’s got a great future. We want him well.”
