Angels’ Jered Weaver vows improvement, says others ‘would’ve shut it down’

Angels right-hander Jered Weaver gets to hit only a couple of times each season, and he says he relishes the chance. It just so happened that the opportunity was ruined on Tuesday against the Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw was pitching.

“It would be fun to go out there with his [stuff],” Weaver said. “That’s for sure.”

Weaver sounded almost rueful.

“It’s no secret,” Weaver said. “My stuff isn’t that great.”

It is unfair to compare almost any pitcher to Kershaw, who sports a 22-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season and has struck out at least 10 batters in his last six starts. But the juxtaposition is especially sharp with Weaver, whose neck and shoulder stiffness have transformed his pitches into sluggish, inconsistent offerings.

At times, Weaver has grinded his way to success, but he has not found a consistent rhythm this season. In three of eight starts, he has allowed one earned run. In two others, he has allowed seven or more.

He went seven innings Tuesday in the Angels’ 5-1 loss to the Dodgers, giving up 10 hits and four runs, three earned. He struck out two batters and gave up two home runs.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Weaver “pitched well.”

Weaver sounded less upbeat.

“A lot of other people would’ve shut it down,” Weaver said. “That’s not who I am.”

This is not the first time Weaver has alluded to “shutting it down.”

In March, Weaver’s neck and shoulder were in such discomfort that he could hardly turn his head.

Weaver now has a 5.76 earned-run average. He is averaging 1.61 walks and hits each inning.

On Tuesday, he gave up two home runs to Joc Pederson and one to Corey Seager. Mike Trout dropped a fly ball to allow a run.

Scioscia said it wasn’t a bad outing.

“Actually, he pitched a lot better than four runs,” Scioscia said. “One, obviously, we didn’t catch a fly ball. He may have gotten a couple pitches to Pederson and Seager than he might want back, but outside of that, he changed speeds and did what he could to keep us in the game.”

Weaver said his comments about shutting down related to his effectiveness, not his health. But he vowed to return to form as his body begins to respond better.

“There’s been nothing easy about this process,” Weaver said. “Things are just taking a little longer than I anticipated as far as my body goes.

“The last thing I’m going to do is quit on this team.”

Twitter: @zhelfand

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