Tyler Skaggs is the latest Angels pitcher to be injured

In spring training, the Angels had nine candidates for their starting rotation.

Not even four months later, eight of them have been on the disabled list.

Tyler Skaggs became the latest Wednesday when he was knocked out of his next scheduled start because of a muscle strain.

Rookie Jaime Barria, the only one of the original nine to spend no time on the DL, will start in Skaggs’ place Thursday against Seattle.

The news arrived on the same day Garrett Richards came off the DL to beat the Mariners for his first victory since May 4. He had been out because of a hamstring strain.

Skaggs skipped a start late last month because of the same injury, which is in the area of his right hamstring, and returned Saturday to pitch five innings in Baltimore.

He said he felt discomfort covering first base late in that game, the condition lingering when he threw his regular between-starts bullpen session.

“I don’t think it’s very serious,” Skaggs said. “Miss one start and hopefully come back.”

He has been the Angels’ best starter. Skaggs is 6-5 with a 2.64 earned-run average, ninth-best in the American League before Wednesday.

He said he hoped to return when the Angels host the Mariners for a three-game series starting Tuesday.

“Took a few days off last time and it felt great,” Skaggs said. “I want to take a few more so I can really get on top of this before the All-Star break.”

With another starter down, the Angels recalled right-hander Deck McGuire, who could start this weekend at home against the Dodgers. Converted reliever Felix Pena figures to remain in the rotation for now.

The Angels again have 14 players out because of injuries; no other team has more than nine. They have used 49 players, the most in the majors and only six shy of the franchise record.

Their starting pitching carnage doesn’t include Alex Meyer, who is out for the season because of shoulder surgery, or John Lamb, who just had elbow ligament-replacement surgery. Neither was among the Angels’ top nine in March.

Short hops

Reserve outfielder Chris Young was put on the disabled list because of a left hamstring stain suffered Tuesday. He figures to be out for a while. Jabari Blash was recalled from triple-A Salt Lake to take Young’s place. … To make room for Richards on the active roster, the Angels optioned utility man Kaleb Cowart to the minors.

jeff.miller@latimes.com