BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Valenzuela Gets Medical Approval

Fernando Valenzuela has received medical approval to return to pitching, but no decision on his playing status was announced.

Valenzuela will not require medication, the Angels were told by Dr. Larry Santora, who performed a series of cardiac tests on Valenzuela last Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange.

Valenzuela was discovered to have a heart condition identified as myocardial bridging of the coronary artery during a recent coronary angiogram that was prompted by abnormalities noted in the results of routine tests after the former Dodger pitcher joined the Angels in May. The most recent tests indicated that the condition is not restricting blood flow to the heart muscle.

Valenzuela was 0-2 with a 12.15 earned-run average in two starts with the Angels. His contract, which guaranteed $300,000 and could be worth as much as $1 million if all incentives are met, is believed to include a provision that will pay him a substantial amount if he is with the team on an particular date in July.

The Angel pitchers have been happy with the four-man rotation, and Manager Doug Rader said before learning Valenzuela had been cleared to pitch that the Angels would continue to use the four-man “as long as it’s practical.”

First baseman Wally Joyner, who was removed from Sunday’s game with a strained right calf, started Monday’s game. . . . Outfielder Dave Gallagher’s right calf strain is improving, while outfielder Junior Felix’s calf injury is coming along slower. . . . Outfielder Mark Davis, batting .300 when he was recalled from Edmonton Sunday, said he has recovered his batting stroke after losing it while trying to adopt the hitting style of Walt Hriniak while playing for the Chicago White Sox organization two years ago.