Bruise keeps Figgins on the bench

A CT scan and MRI test on Chone Figgins’ left wrist Wednesday showed a bone bruise outside the pinkie finger but no fractures or torn ligaments, news that Mike Scioscia called “encouraging.”

But the Angels manager could tell by the way the switch-hitter hopped out of the batter’s box after his third-inning check swing Tuesday that Figgins, who left Tuesday’s game and did not play Wednesday night, could sit out several more games.

“Figgy’s a tough kid, and if he winces like that, you know he feels it,” Scioscia said. “He plays banged up and doesn’t show it. So when he does, you’re concerned.”

Scioscia said Figgins’ left wrist has been sore for about a month and affects him most when he’s batting from the right side. Tuesday’s injury came when he was batting right-handed.

Reggie Willits replaced Figgins in the leadoff spot Wednesday, and Maicer Izturis started at third base, an alignment the Angels probably will use until Figgins returns. Which, the Angels hope, is soon.

Figgins, who was batting .133 on May 28, ranks fourth in the American League with a .335 average and is the major leagues’ top hitter since June 1, batting .393. He has a .394 on-base percentage and ranks fifth in the league with 34 stolen bases.

“Figgy has played extremely well,” center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. said. “To get off to the start he did and to now be hitting .335 must be unprecedented -- how many guys have done that in the last 20 years?

“But this team has survived injuries, as long as they’re not for a significant amount of time. I think we could go a month without any one player, even Vladimir [Guerrero], and be OK. Hopefully, Figgy won’t be out for long, but to replace your leadoff hitter with Reggie Willits is not a bad thing.”

Garret Anderson’s franchise-record 10-RBI game Tuesday night, which featured a grand slam, a three-run homer, a two-run double and an RBI double, sparked a few good one-liners in the clubhouse Wednesday.

“Ten RBIs -- that was a good month for me,” said Scioscia, the former Dodgers catcher. “He got one-sixth of my season-high for RBIs in one game.”

First baseman Casey Kotchman went 0 for 5.

“I was just helping the game move along,” Kotchman said.

Bartolo Colon showed no ill effects from Tuesday’s 45-pitch simulated game, and the right-hander will begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment for triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday in Colorado Springs.

Colon, out since July 24 because of an elbow irritation, will throw about 45 pitches Saturday. Scioscia said he would need three or four rehab starts to build himself up to the 90-pitch range before being considered a candidate for the Angels rotation.

Rob Goldman, author of “Once They Were Angels,” will be signing copies of his book outside of the Angels team store beginning at 5:30 p.m. tonight and running through the game. A portion of the proceeds from the book sales will benefit the Angels Foundation.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com