Guerrero not yet back in the zone

Vladimir Guerrero was 11 for 39 on the Angels’ last trip, raising his average from .246 to .260 entering Friday night, but he still doesn’t look anything like the slugger of old.

Guerrero, who sat out five weeks of April and May because of a torn chest muscle, is not driving the ball with any consistency. He has four extra-base hits -- and no home runs -- since coming off the disabled list May 25.

He is swinging at far too many pitches out of the strike zone, making it easy for opposing pitchers who have fed Guerrero a steady diet of breaking balls away and fastballs up and inside.

According to www.fangraphs.com “> www.fangraphs.com , 54.6% of the pitches Guerrero has swung at have been out of the strike zone, the third-worst mark of 557 players who have hit in the major leagues this season.

Guerrero, 34, walked only once in nine games at Toronto, Detroit and Tampa Bay, and most of his hits have been ground balls through the infield.

Not exactly a salary drive for an eight-time All-Star who joined Lou Gehrig as the only players in major league history to hit .300 or better with at least 25 home runs in 11 consecutive seasons and will be a free agent this winter.

But still, the Angels remain confident their cleanup hitter will regain his power stroke.

“He’s swinging better, but . . . he’s still expanding the zone a little too much, even for Vlad,” Manager Mike Scioscia said before Friday night’s game against the Padres.

“But he’ll turn it around. He’s not that far off. It’s obvious his production is not where it needs to be, but he’s moving in the right direction.”

Blue Shields

Scot Shields has made no progress since going on the DL because of patella tendinitis in his left knee May 26, fueling speculation the veteran reliever might need surgery that would sideline him for the remainder of the season.

“It feels the same; it hasn’t gotten any better,” Shields said Friday. “Pain level is what I’m basing it on, and right now, it’s as bad as when I went on the DL.”

A healthy Shields could have made a huge difference for an Angels bullpen that entered Friday with a major league-worst 5.86 earned-run average and 11 blown saves.

Shields was one of baseball’s top setup men from 2004-2008, leading all major league relievers with 425 innings and going 35-29 with a 3.11 ERA in that span.

But the right-hander suffered the injury to his landing leg in spring training and was ineffective in April and May, going 1-3 with a 6.62 ERA in 20 games. He has not been cleared to play catch.

“I was expecting it to get better,” Shields said. “It’s frustrating right now, but I’m going to stick it out and hope for the best.”

Outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. played most of 2008 with a similar injury and had surgery after the season. Is surgery a possibility for Shields?

“To be honest with you,” he said, “I don’t know.”

Peavy scratched

The Angels caught a break when San Diego ace Jake Peavy was scratched from tonight’s scheduled start because of a strain in the back of his right tibia, just above the ankle.

The 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner, who is 6-6 with a 3.97 ERA, will be out at least a month.

The right-hander suffered the injury running the bases May 22 but pitched through it until an MRI exam showed the strain Friday. Josh Geer, a right-hander who is 1-1 with a 5.60 ERA, will pitch tonight.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com