Angels’ Mike Trout kept out again with sore wrist; return uncertain

A sore left wrist kept Mike Trout out of the lineup for a second straight game. The Angels center fielder was available to pinch-run and play late-inning defense Wednesday night, but he appears several days away from starting.

“He’s moving in the right direction, but we’re definitely going to err on the side of caution,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s the type of injury where you’d rather give it a couple more days on this end and not risk a couple of weeks on the back end. When he’s ready, he’ll be out there.”

Trout, who is hitting .315 with a major league-leading 31 home runs, 64 runs batted in and 75 runs, jammed the wrist while attempting a diving catch in the fourth inning Sunday against Texas.

He remained in the game and hit a pair of singles and a grand slam, but the wrist stiffened Monday and ached after a few swings in the cage Tuesday.

Trout underwent an X-ray on Monday and an MRI test Tuesday. There was inflammation but no fractures or structural damage.

Trout sat out Tuesday night’s 10-5 loss to the Astros, and the team’s medical staff instructed him not to swing a bat Wednesday. Trout was fitted with a brace to wear if he entered to run or play defense.

“They want it to be, and I want it to be, 100%,” Trout said. “I don’t want to have a setback. … The treatment I had [Tuesday] made a big difference. It feels a lot better today.”

Scioscia will rely on Trout and the team’s medical staff to determine when Trout is ready to return.

“We don’t anticipate it being a lengthy amount of time,” Scioscia said, “but we’re certainly going to make sure this thing is good to go.”

Roster moves

Reliever Mike Morin, who has a 7.43 earned-run average in 29 games, was optioned to triple-A after Wednesday night’s game.

The Angels could either add a reliever through a trade or call up a reliever, most likely Cory Rasmus or Cam Bedrosian, from Salt Lake on Thursday.

Morin looked sharp in four outings after the All-Star break, allowing no runs and two hits in 42/3 innings, striking out six and walking none, before giving up four runs and five hits in an inning Tuesday night.

Morin has had trouble commanding his fastball and getting ahead in counts.

“It’s almost August and I have a 71/2 ERA, dude,” Morin said, when he was asked whether he was surprised by the move. “You know.”

To make room for David DeJesus and David Murphy on the 25-man roster, the Angels optioned outfielder Daniel Robertson to triple-A and designated first baseman/outfielder Efren Navarro off the active roster. Navarro will be optioned to Salt Lake on Friday.

Follow Mike DiGiovanna on Twitter @MikeDiGiovanna