ANAHEIM -- It was hard to know what to expect from Griffin Canning this season. The right-hander missed all of last year with a stress fracture in his lower back and hadn’t made a start with the Angels since July 2, 2021.

But he’s been solid through his first three starts in 2023, including a seven-strikeout performance over five-plus innings in a 5-3 victory over the A’s on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks to get the win and has posted a 4.11 ERA with a total of 15 strikeouts, five walks and two homers permitted in 15 1/3 innings.

It marked Canning’s first win in the Majors since June 9, 2021, or 685 days ago. Canning said he was simply glad the Angels came out on top.

“I’m just happy the team won,” Canning said. “It doesn’t matter if I get the win or somebody else. I just want to give our team the best chance to win.”

His outings have all been similar, as he gave up two runs over five frames in his season debut against the Nationals on April 12 and surrendered two runs over 5 1/3 innings against the Yankees on Wednesday.

Canning’s goal is to pitch deeper into games going forward, but he’s at least kept the Angels in all three games he’s started. It’s why his spot in the rotation is secure -- unlike lefty José Suarez, who struggled in the series opener and will make his scheduled start on Sunday in Milwaukee but will be evaluated on a start-to-start basis.

“I just think he just keeps getting better and better the more pitches he throws,” said manager Phil Nevin. “I think a lot of it is feel for him with the changeup and the breaking ball. And you take almost two years off, it’s hard to get that back. It takes some time. But he’s been really good for us. He’s got some big outs and we needed as many as we could [get] today.”

Canning has had success with his slider, which he threw 32 times against Oakland -- four more than his four-seamer (28). He also mixed in 16 changeups and 12 curveballs, as he’s still getting a feel for those two secondary pitches. He registered a respectable 14 swings and misses, including six with the slider and four with his fastball.

“I had pretty good stuff,” Canning said. “I had a pretty good feel for all four of my pitches. I had a lot of 3-2 counts, which is something I want to eliminate. But overall, I felt good. I’m finding my breaking pitches earlier in games. There’s a lot of positives to take from it.”

Canning put the Angels behind early, allowing a two-out RBI triple to Jace Peterson on a 2-0 changeup in the first inning. He got out of the jam by getting Jesús Aguilar to fly out to right to end the inning.

The Angels' offense gave Canning run support right away, scoring four times in the bottom of the frame against rookie right-hander Mason Miller. Mike Trout sparked the rally with a double on a 100.7 mph fastball before Brandon Drury brought home two runs with a triple. Luis Rengifo and Gio Urshela then added RBI singles.

Canning responded to that cushion by retiring nine of the next 10 batters he faced. But facing Shea Langeliers to open the fifth, Canning threw a 3-2 curveball that caught too much of the plate, which Langeliers knocked for a solo homer to make it a two-run game.

Canning went back out for the sixth despite being at 86 pitches and showing some decline in his velocity as the game went along. He promptly gave up a leadoff double to Brent Rooker on a ball that sliced into the right-field corner and away from Rengifo, who tried to make a sliding catch.

Lefty Aaron Loup came in and allowed the inherited runner to score on a two-out double from Jordan Diaz. But after intentionally walking Langeliers, he struck out Tony Kemp to escape trouble. It set up the bullpen for the rest of the way, with Carlos Estévez picking up a five-out save.

“I felt like it was the right time to get him,” Nevin said of taking Canning out. “He went to 100 [pitches] last time, and 100 was in my mind today, but when he gets to the third time through and it’s the sixth, I’m watching what he’s doing with the ball. The pitch shapes, the velocity, obviously. I just thought it was the right time.”