Rodriguez isn’t being overused

Some is by luck, some is by design. Either way, the end result has been favorable for the Angels and Francisco Rodriguez, who recorded his major league-high 40th save in the team’s 98th game on Sunday but does not appear overworked.

The closer entered Monday with 44 innings in 47 games, a pace for 72 innings. He has pitched three days in a row four times. Five times, he has pitched in four games over five days. Twice, he has pitched in five games over six days.

“It’s how things have worked out,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s been spread out to where he’s gotten enough of a breather and been able to maintain his stuff.”

Limiting Rodriguez to the ninth inning has also reduced his workload. He threw more than one inning eight times last season and 13 times in 2006. Scioscia probably won’t use Rodriguez for four straight days or in six games over seven days.

“There’s no magic number for anyone, and it depends on the workload -- some saves take seven pitches, some take 30,” Scioscia said. “But if he goes five of six days, most likely he’ll get a day off.”

Leave of absence

Torii Hunter will miss tonight’s game and Wednesday’s game to travel to his hometown of Pine Bluff, Ark., to be with his ailing grandmother, the woman the center fielder said “helped raise me.” Hunter said he will rejoin the Angels on Friday in Baltimore.

With Gary Matthews Jr. slowed by a knee injury and looking a little shaky in right field Monday night, Reggie Willits is expected to replace Hunter in center for the final two games against Cleveland.

A team spokesman said there was a “strong possibility” the Angels would place Hunter on the bereavement list, enabling them to add a player for two days.

A possible candidate is switch-hitter Kendry Morales, who was activated off the disabled list over the weekend and started in left field for triple-A Salt Lake Monday night.

Put your left knee in

Matthews, who sat out the Boston series, started in right field Monday night, his first action since being diagnosed with a small tear in the patella tendon in his left knee last week.

“We can’t evaluate him until he plays, until he does the things he needs to do,” Scioscia said. “We’ll get a read on him. We won’t get the whole story in one night.”

Chapter one was a mixed bag. Matthews showed good speed and range moving toward the corner for Jhonny Peralta’s second-inning drive, but the ball bounced off his glove for an error.

He then struck out in the bottom of the second.

Back to normal

Chone Figgins on Sunday completed a two-week course of antibiotics to treat an infection on his left knee, medication that “fatigued” the third baseman.

Since missing a June 27 game because of the infection, the leadoff batter hit .188 (12 for 64) in 18 games, his average dropping from .303 to .278 entering Monday.

Short hops

Kelvim Escobar’s surgery to repair a shoulder tear has been scheduled for July 29 in New York City. The right-hander will be sidelined for at least another 10 months.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com