Griffin Canning to miss the rest of season due to back injury

RHP Griffin Canning will miss the remainder of the season due to a low back stress fracture, the Angels announced Tuesday afternoon.

Canning had been demoted to AAA Salt Lake on July 3 and placed on the 7-day injured list on July 15 with a lower back strain after a rough outing in which he gave up six runs in two innings of work. The severity of the injury was unknown at the time.

Currently in his third season in the majors, Canning has struggled and has taken a step back from the numbers he posted during his Gold Glove 2020 season. He will finish the season with a 5-4 record and 5.60 ERA with 39 runs allowed in 62.2 innings pitched. Initially sent down to work on his fastball, manager Joe Maddon said the team was open to Canning returning to the team at a later point in the season. Obviously, that is no longer a possibility.

Although part of Canning’s struggles may be attributed to the injury, not much else is known about when he suffered the injury. Canning will likely be placed on the 60-day IL to free up a roster spot. A return estimation and recovery timetable are still to be determined as the Angels are expected to release more information as the story develops.