McPherson Pressed to Be Fully Healed

While the Angels are in Minnesota, third baseman Dallas McPherson is in Arizona undergoing an extensive physical therapy program designed to address the hip, groin and lower-back issues that have sidelined the third baseman periodically this season.

The Angels want McPherson, who has struggled to find a consistent stroke all year, to be fully healed and less susceptible to injury before he returns from the disabled list, and Manager Mike Scioscia intimated Friday that the process could extend past the 15-day period McPherson is on the DL.

“He’s had some issues with his back, groin and hip, and hopefully they’re not chronic,” Scioscia said of McPherson, who is eligible to return next Saturday. “But they have to be addressed now. He has a lot of work ahead of him.”

McPherson, who is batting .244 with eight home runs and 26 runs batted in and has struck out 64 times in 205 at-bats, is being held out of baseball activity this week. Scioscia said McPherson would probably need a minor league rehabilitation stint before returning to the Angels.

McPherson, who sat out the first two weeks of the season because of a herniated disk in his lower back, says he believes his problems stem from his not being flexible enough.

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The Angels’ decision to allow closer Troy Percival to leave as a free agent last winter is no longer looking controversial. It’s looking wise.

The right-hander, who signed a two-year, $12-million deal with Detroit, tore a muscle in his right elbow last Saturday and is facing the possibility that his 324-save career is over.

“If I never threw another pitch, I’m content with what I’ve done,” Percival, 35, told Tiger writers in Detroit on Friday. “But not with what I’ve done here. I came here to try to help take this team to another level.”

Percival says he’s hoping Dr. Lewis Yocum will find “some kind of miracle treatment” when he sees the Angels’ team physician Monday. Percival, who has eight saves in 11 opportunities for the Tigers, went on the DL Thursday and will probably sit out the rest of this season.

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The Angels activated shortstop Orlando Cabrera off the disabled list and optioned reserve outfielder Curtis Pride to triple-A Salt Lake.... Garret Anderson returned to Southern California on Friday to attend funeral services for his grandmother, who died last weekend. He was scheduled to return to Minnesota late Friday night and is expected to play tonight.... If Florida pitcher Al Leiter, designated for assignment Thursday, clears waivers and is available for the prorated portion of the league minimum salary of $316,000, Scioscia said signing the left-hander with a 6.64 earned run average, “would be something we’d consider.”