BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Valenzuela Makes Return Tonight

Fernando Valenzuela will make his return to the major leagues tonight when he starts for the Angels against the Detroit Tigers at Anaheim Stadium.

Valenzuela, released by the Dodgers on March 28 after finishing spring training with a 7.88 earned-run average, signed a minor league contract with the Angels May 20 and did not allow an earned run in three minor league starts.

“I’m very happy to be back,” Valenzuela said Thursday. “Tomorrow is a big day for me. I had three games in the minor leagues, but it’s not the same.

In 17 innings, Valenzuela gave up 11 hits, struck out 14 and walked eight.

“I’m not nervous, but I’m excited a little bit,” he said. “(In his first minor league start), I tried to overthrow because I felt real good. I want to try not to do that (tonight). I want to go normal, and not overthrow.”

Marcel Lachemann, the Angel pitching coach, said he expects Valenzuela to “give us six, seven innings.”

The Angels will option left-handed reliever Cliff Young to triple-A Edmonton today to make room for Valenzuela on the roster. Young has not pitched since being called up from Edmonton on May 21.

X-rays on the bruised right foot of reliever Bob McClure were negative. McClure was hit by a batted ball Wednesday. . . . Among the Angel draftees is Mike Monday, a part-time catcher as a freshman at Orange Coast College and a son of former Dodger Rick Monday.