All-Star Game on the Way?

The All-Star game is expected to return to Anaheim in the next few years, and the Angels could learn exactly when in the next few months.

The San Francisco Giants will play host to the All-Star game next season. Major league officials have made no decisions beyond then, but Commissioner Bud Selig said Friday he hopes to announce several future sites by the end of this year.

The Angels last played host to the All-Star game in 1989, the Dodgers in 1980.

“I’m always sensitive to that,” Selig said. “We certainly want to be in Southern California.”

In recent years, Selig has tended to use the game as a showcase for new ballparks. In trying to lure the All-Star game, the Angels have cited the $118-million renovation that downsized their stadium back into a ballpark. The Angels also helped Selig by playing host to second-round games of the World Baseball Classic.

The Dodgers also have bid for an All-Star game. They have spent $40 million on stadium upgrades over the past two winters and plan for additional renovations this winter.

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By the time reliever Brendan Donnelly serves his suspension, the Angels probably won’t have to play a man short.

Donnelly, suspended four games for throwing at Freddy Guzman of the Texas Rangers on Aug. 16, said Friday he has yet to learn when his appeal might be heard. Bob Watson, who levied the suspension, also is the general manager of the U.S. team currently playing in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Havana.

That tournament extends through Sept. 5, and it is doubtful Watson would be available for an appeal before then. The Angels can expand their roster to 40 on Sept. 1.

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Orlando Cabrera Poster Night almost went on without Orlando Cabrera. The Angels scratched their shortstop Friday because of a bruised index finger on his right hand. He suffered the injury in his first at-bat Thursday, when a pitch slammed against the finger and split the nail as he tried to bunt.

He doubled on the next pitch, and he finished the game, but swelling and soreness developed overnight, Manager Mike Scioscia said. The Angels promoted triple-A shortstop Erick Aybar late Thursday and started him Friday; Cabrera appeared as a pinch-hitter and had a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.

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Mike Eylward, Dallas McPherson and Kendry Morales hit consecutive homers for triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.... First baseman Darin Erstad played five innings and went 0 for 2 in starting his rehabilitation assignment at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga.