Angels’ C.J. Wilson has fluid drained from elbow; will continue to pitch

Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson had fluid drained from his pitching elbow after Saturday’s start against the Texas Rangers, but he described the procedure as being “painless, preventative and no big deal.”

His start Saturday was pushed back two days because of elbow discomfort, but Wilson pitched well against the Rangers, giving up one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking three.

He threw his normal between-starts bullpen session at the Oakland Coliseum on Tuesday, and Wednesday he said he “felt better than I did going into my last start, so I feel like I’m on the upswing.”

Wilson, who is 1-2 with a 3.12 earned-run average through four games, will start Friday night against the San Francisco Giants. He might have to undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in the elbow next winter, but he plans to pitch through any elbow issues this season.

Wilson will, however, cut back on his throwing regimen between starts. Instead of long-tossing the day after he pitches, he will not pick up a ball that day.

“Where I’m at right now, it makes more sense to throw off the mound more frequently than throwing long-toss more,” Wilson said. “We’ll see how it goes after the first couple of starts and go from there.”