Angels’ Brian Fuentes backs out of WBC

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- The U.S. team will advance to the second round of the World Baseball Classic without Brian Fuentes. The new Angels closer informed WBC officials that he would be unable to join the team because of tightness in his back, an injury that flared up after his last Cactus League appearance.

Fuentes, who pitched for the U.S. in the first WBC in 2006, sat out the first round of this year’s tournament to attend to a family matter and was hoping to join the team for the second round. But the left-hander has been shut down for a couple of days to receive treatment on his back.

‘I wish I could be there with them, but I’m not going to be able to go,’ Fuentes said this morning. ‘They have their bullpen under control, so I’m going to take it slow. I don’t want to jeopardize anything. I don’t want to push it and set myself back.’

Fuentes has been replaced on the U.S. roster by Josh Grabow, a left-handed reliever from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fuentes is scheduled to play catch today, but there is no timetable for him to return to game action.

-- Mike DiGiovanna