Rookie Jose Suarez to remain in Angels’ rotation despite recent struggles

A rotation shakeup is not in order for the scuffling Angels.

Despite watching rookie starter Jose Suarez give up six runs (four earned) over three tenuous innings in Monday night’s 10-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Angels manager Brad Ausmus said Tuesday that Suarez will remain in the major leagues for the “foreseeable future.” Suarez, who has given up 14 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings spanning his last three starts, will take his next turn Saturday against the Chicago White Sox.

The decision to keep Suarez had a lot to do with working around the team’s scant pitching depth.

Over the last month, injuries forced the Angels to give spots in the rotation to offseason acquisition Dillon Peters and rookie Patrick Sandoval, who didn’t even pitch for the Angels in spring training.

Those moves left the team with just two starters on the 40-man roster who have pitched in the major leagues. Jaime Barria was optioned back to triple A on Saturday, and he is not eligible to rejoin the Angels until he has spent 10 days in the minor leagues. Veteran Nick Tropeano, the other option, made triple-A starts July 31 and Aug. 5 in which he allowed one or fewer runs. But he gave up six hits and three runs when he pitched four innings for Salt Lake on Saturday.

Angels

Jose Suarez is the latest young Angels pitcher to struggle as team falls to Pirates

The Angels’ lack of depth on the mound continues to haunt them as Jose Suarez exits after three innings in 10-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Aug. 12, 2019

Short hops

The Angels activated Griffin Canning for his start Tuesday and optioned reliever Jose Rodriguez back to triple A. The Angels also placed Adalberto Mejia on the restricted list for “a personal matter,” and they are not sure how long he will be gone from the team. Jake Jewell was recalled from Salt Lake to reinforce the bullpen. . . . The Angels will make a decision on Noe Ramirez’s reinstatement from the injured list by Thursday’s game. They will be forced to play with a roster of 24 while Ramirez, who landed on the injured list in late July because of a viral infection, serves the three-game suspension given to him for hitting Houston’s Jake Marisnick.