Despite Jered Weaver’s struggles, his arm seems fine

The workload has been heavy this season for Jered Weaver, who ranks second in the major leagues behind Detroit’s Justin Verlander with 3,298 pitches and fifth in all of baseball with 2061/3 innings.

But neither the Angels ace nor Manager Mike Scioscia says fatigue or injury is to blame for Weaver’s recent struggles.

The right-hander entered August as an American League Cy Young Award candidate, but he has allowed six earned runs or more in three of his last five starts, including Saturday night’s shaky five-inning, six-run, eight-hit effort in a 10-6 win over the Twins.

“He wasn’t as crisp and his fastball command was off, but he has enough gas in his tank to finish the season strong,” Scioscia said. “In talking with him, his arm feels good. Sometimes you’re going to be out of sorts.”

Weaver, who signed a five-year, $85-million contract extension Aug. 23, slipped on a first-inning pitch Saturday and landed awkwardly on his left foot, but he said that “had nothing to do with” his performance.

“I felt great,” said Weaver, who is 16-7 with a 2.49 earned-run average. “I just didn’t have my sharp stuff, and they were able to hit mistakes.”

Gift-wrapped

The Angels scored their second run in the third inning Sunday with the help of a Minnesota mental miscue. Hank Conger hit a one-out single to right and took third when Erick Aybar extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single to right.

Howie Kendrick followed with a potential inning-ending double-play grounder to third baseman Danny Valencia, who threw to second for the force out.

But second baseman Trevor Plouffe, thinking it was the third out of the inning, started jogging toward the dugout without throwing to first, as Conger scored.

“We caught a break there,” Scioscia said. “That definitely would have been a double play.”

Disappearing act

Center fielder Peter Bourjos nearly left the park with Valencia’s second-inning homer Saturday night.

As the ball drifted over his head, Bourjos planted his foot on the fence and vaulted so high that his waist was above the wall. With his body arched over the top of the fence.

“I thought, ‘Oh, no, I’m going over the fence,’” Bourjos said. “I was way too high, but I was able to grab the fence and hold on. That would have been bad. I think there’s some grass on the other side of the wall, but there’s also some concrete.”

Had Bourjos gone over the fence, “It definitely would have been an all-time blooper,” he said. “I would have been laughing about it.”

Bourjos sat out Sunday’s game, but not because of injury — he had started 37 straight games since July 25.

Rotation set

Scioscia confirmed that Dan Haren and Ervin Santana will remain on regular rest and start Monday and Tuesday night against Seattle.

Right-hander Jerome Williams, who won the first two games he started, against Baltimore on Aug. 21 and Seattle last Tuesday, will start Wednesday against the Mariners.

Weaver, Haren and Santana will pitch against the New York Yankees next weekend.

Short hops

Right-hander Trevor Bell was called up from triple-A Salt Lake and was in the bullpen Sunday. … Infielder Maicer Izturis (right thigh contusion) did not play for the third straight game, but he will likely start Monday night. … Garrett Richards (right groin strain) allowed two solo homers in two innings of a rehabilitation appearance for double-A Arkansas on Saturday. If Richards, who made two starts for the Angels in August, rejoins the team, “He will pitch out of the bullpen,” Scioscia said.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com