Skaggs returns to DL with adductor strain

ANAHEIM -- Left-hander Tyler Skaggs' return from the disabled list lasted just one day. The Angels announced Sunday that Skaggs was placed back on the 10-day disabled list with a left adductor strain. Right-hander Eduardo Paredes was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake for the 10th time this year to replace Skaggs on the roster.
The move marks the third trip to the disabled list for Skaggs, who has battled an adductor strain throughout the season. After missing nine games with the injury, Skaggs was activated off the disabled list on Saturday and started against the A's, but he looked far from his usual self, giving up seven runs over 3 1/3 innings in the Angels' 7-0 loss.
"I felt fine the first few innings," Skaggs said. "The third inning, it kind of started getting away from me. By the fourth inning, I felt like I was kind of lobbing balls in there. You can't be doing that in the big leagues."
Skaggs has been the Angels' best starting pitcher this season and logged a 2.62 ERA through his first 19 starts. But the lingering adductor injury has clearly hampered him over his last two outings, when he's yielded 17 runs over 6 2/3 innings.
"I think Tyler going into [Saturday's] game felt he was going to be OK, and he never got to that point where he was comfortable in turning the ball loose," manager Mike Scioscia said Sunday. "I think we all could see that. There's no doubt that lower extremity issues of a pitcher have to be considered in how it affects the arm. They could be serious injuries. We're going to take it one step at a time again with Tyler."
Skaggs has returned after sitting out the minimum 10 days in both of his previous stints on the disabled list, but he said he intends to give his adductor enough time to heal this time around.
"I think we're going to re-evaluate," Skaggs said. "I don't think it's necessarily so serious that I'm going to miss the rest of the season, but it's definitely something that I need to give the proper time. Definitely the full 10 days, and we'll take it from there."
Skaggs is the seventh Angels starter to land on the disabled list, joining Nick Tropeano, Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker, JC Ramirez, John Lamb and Alex Meyer. Andrew Heaney, Jaime Barría and Felix Peña are the only starters currently on the Angels' roster, and the club used a string of relievers to fill in for Tropeano on Sunday.
The cascade of injuries has been part of the reason why Paredes has shuffled between Triple-A Salt Lake and the Majors at an historic rate this season. According to STATS, Paredes is the first player in the last 25 years to be called up from the Minors at least 10 times in a single season.
Simmons scratched
Andrelton Simmons was a late scratch from the Angels' lineup on Sunday with a sore left knee. He is considered day to day, though he said he's "pretty confident" that he'll play on Monday night in San Diego. Simmons suffered the injury while sliding into second base on a double-play ball on Saturday.
"I tweaked it," Simmons said. "Nothing serious. I think they just came to the conclusion that they should give me a little more of a breather so I can bounce back and be ready for the next game."
Ohtani progressing
Scioscia said Shohei Ohtani is slated to throw another bullpen session on Monday in San Diego. He is expected to increase the intensity from his light throwing session on Saturday, when he tossed 23 pitches to a standing catcher.
"I think he's going to be not 100 percent, but I think he will be putting more effort into it," Scioscia said. "That'll be a good test for him."
Ohtani has not pitched for the Angels since June 6 because of a Grade 2 sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He said Saturday that he is "confident" that he will be able to return to the mound before the end of the season.
More injury updates
• Shoemaker, who has been limited to just one start this season because of a right forearm injury, completed another bullpen session on Saturday. The next step for the 31-year-old right-hander could be an "up-down" bullpen, an extended throwing session that simulates breaks between innings.
"Shoe is doing very well," Scioscia said. "I think the intensity of his bullpens is picking up, but there's still no definitive target date of when he's going to pitch. He still has a number of things he has to do before we're going to be comfortable with putting him back in the rotation."
• René Rivera (right knee surgery) is scheduled to continue his rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Inland Empire by catching back-to-back games on Sunday and Monday. The 35-year-old veteran has gone 4-for-12 in his first four rehab games. Scioscia said the Angels are hoping to get Rivera back during their upcoming road trip to San Diego, Texas and Arizona.
"Rene is very close," Scioscia said.