ANAHEIM — The Angels lost another starting pitcher on Saturday when right-hander Jose Soriano was placed on the injured list with right arm fatigue.
Soriano (6-7) was removed from Friday’s 3-2 win against the Atlanta Braves after throwing 76 pitches over 3 2/3 innings in the opener of the three-game series.
“My eyes told me he was tired by the third inning, so when we got to the fourth, he was really tired,” Angels manager Ron Washington said before Saturday’s game. “I was taking him out so he didn’t hurt himself because he was going to gut it out.”
Soriano, 25, has been one of the most effective starters for the Angels this season. He won his first two starts in June and posted a 1.93 ERA in those games before an abdominal infection sidelined him for three weeks.
He’s 2-2 with a 3.31 ERA in seven starts since his return from the injured list.
“I’m not worried about it being a major injury, it’s just starting to fatigue,” Soriano said through an interpreter. “I’m just going to work to come back as soon as I can.”
Washington doesn’t expect Soriano to be lost for the season.
“His arm is tired and we just want to give him a break,” Washington said. “When he comes back, try to fit him in and finish the season.”
RENDON UPDATE
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon was not in Saturday’s lineup a day after he was hit on the right elbow with a pitch and left the game, but Washington said Rendon was feeling better on Saturday and could possibly return for the series finale on Sunday.
“This is me giving him the day off,” Washington said.
Rendon has played in just 41 of the Angels’ 122 games this season because of injuries.
BURKE’S DEBUT
Among the storylines in the win on Friday was the team debut of left-hander Brock Burke, who threw 1 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win.
Burke came out of the bullpen with runners on first and second and one out in the fifth inning of a 2-2 game. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and then threw three straight balls to Sean Murphy before bouncing back to strike him out looking.
Burke got a flyout to end the threat and then pitched a scoreless sixth inning before the Angels took the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
“Definitely the biggest situation I’ve been in this year and it was nice to be able to get out of it,” Burke said. “It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve had a zero in an outing, so it was definitely a good start.”
Burke had allowed at least a run in five straight appearances with the Texas Rangers before he was designated for assignment on Sunday.
The Angels claimed him on Tuesday.
“There’s certainly some things we can do with him to get him more consistent in his strike zone,” Washington said. “I hope that it works out because he has a tremendous arm.”
Burke made his major-league debut against the Angels as the starting pitcher for the Rangers on August 20, 2019, throwing six shutout innings in a make-up game that was canceled seven weeks earlier following the death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
LOPEZ DEBUT
Jack Lopez made his team debut on Saturday night, becoming the seventh second baseman used by the Angels this season.
Lopez, 31, was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday, where the right-handed hitter was batting .274 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs.
His major-league experience consists of 13 at-bats over seven games with the Boston Red Sox in 2021. He’s been playing at the Triple-A level since 2018.
“Drive runners in, move runners over, bunting guys over, whatever Wash is going to ask me to do, I’m going to try my best to do so and win the game,” Lopez said.
Washington said he just wants Lopez to catch the ball when it’s hit to him.
“I just like to get these guys in a game when they get up here,” Washington said. “Sometimes, I can get them in there the first day, but I’ve got to get him in there the second day, so that’s why he’s out there. Plus, we have a lefty (starting for Atlanta).”
SALE STRATEGY
Braves left-hander Chris Sale faced the Angels for the first time in five years on Saturday night.
He came into the game 7-0 in 10 career appearances against the Angels, including eight starts, with a 1.06 ERA.
Sale also came in leading the National League in ERA (2.61) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.8) and second in WHIP (0.98).
The only Angels in their batting order who have faced Sale before is center fielder Kevin Pillar (7-for-30) and third baseman Brandon (3-for-11).
“If he throws you that pitch early in the count to hit, don’t miss it,” Drury said.
UP NEXT
Braves (RHP Charlie Morton, 6-7, 4.40 ERA) at Angels (RHP Jack Kochanowicz, 1-2, 7.98 ERA), Sunday, 1:07 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM
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