Escobar to have shoulder surgery

OAKLAND -- The Angels knew Kelvim Escobar probably wouldn’t pitch this season; their hope now is that the veteran right-hander can salvage something from 2009.

Escobar elected Friday to undergo surgery to repair a shoulder tear, a procedure that could sideline him until the All-Star break next season.

Doctors did not give the Angels a timetable for his return, “but history tells us it’s a significant amount of time,” General Manager Tony Reagins said. “You look at others with a similar injury, and it’s nine months to a year.”

Escobar, who went 18-7 with a 3.40 earned-run average last season, spent four months rehabilitating the shoulder and appeared on the verge of a return in late June when his fastball hit 93 mph in a pair of minor league rehabilitation starts.

But Escobar, in the second year of a three-year, $28.5-million contract, felt considerable pain after a three-inning stint for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on June 30 and was shut down.

Escobar, 32, flew to New York to be examined by David Altchek, a Mets orthopedist who met this week with Lewis Yocum, the Angels’ team physician.

The two discussed their findings and recommended surgery, which will be performed this month by Altchek.

“All of us saw how hard Kelvim worked in spring training . . . and felt he would pitch in some capacity this year,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “That’s not the case. . . . But I tell you what, if anyone can come back from this, it’s Kelvim.”

Status quo

Reagins said Escobar’s setback won’t prompt him to pursue a starter or reliever before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

“We haven’t had him all year, and you plan with an understanding that injuries can happen,” he said. “We think we have arms that are capable of taking us where we want to be.”

Escobar, though, could have provided a nice boost to the bullpen -- he went 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in nine relief appearances in September 2005 after returning from elbow surgery -- and rotation insurance in case a starter got hurt.

He also would have given the Angels the depth they’d need to absorb the loss of a young pitcher such as Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver or Jose Arredondo, players teams would ask for in trades for a big bat.

Feeling fine

John Lackey threw a season-high 120 pitches in a June 29 win over the Dodgers, improving to 6-1 with a 1.44 ERA. In two starts since, a loss and a no-decision, the right-hander has given up 11 earned runs and 22 hits in 11 2/3 innings.

Lackey, who missed the first six weeks of the season because of a triceps strain, and pitching coach Mike Butcher think it’s a coincidence.

“I feel fine,” said Lackey, who tied a franchise record by giving up 15 hits Thursday night in the Angels’ 11-10 win over the Texas Rangers. “I just didn’t pitch well. No excuses.”

Added Butcher: “Lack is perfectly fine. His stuff was as good as it’s been all year. There’s no lingering effects [from his injury]. He got some pitches over the plate, made some mistakes and got hit.”

Rare feat

With Thursday’s bizarre 11-inning victory over Texas, in which they gave up 20 hits, the Angels became only the second team since 1900 to give up no hits to a team and lose (1-0 to the Dodgers on June 28) and give up 20 hits to a team and win. The other team was the 1992 Boston Red Sox.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com