ANAHEIM — Describing it as a “huge relief,” Mike Trout said the latest setback in his recovery is a minor one.
The Angels embattled star underwent an MRI on his left knee that he said came back clean, revealing just some scar tissue and inflammation.
“Glad it’s not serious,” Trout said on Friday. “Any day, I’ll come in and feel good and start running and get back out there.”
Trout, 32, has been out since late April because of a torn meniscus. He’s weeks past the typical timeframe for a return from that type of arthroscopic surgery. All signs were pointing toward him being activated for this series, but he played only two innings in his first rehab game on Tuesday at Triple-A Salt Lake.
“Something didn’t feel right,” Trout said. “Then I came out the next day and tried to loosen it up and felt a little pop. Then I thought the best thing is for me to come back and get it checked out, make sure everything was good.”
Trout said he hasn’t tried to run in the last couple of days, but he is able to hit.
“I can swing right now,” Trout said. “I’m not worried about that.”
Trout, who has now missed significant time with injuries in four straight seasons, said he has been told that the discomfort he felt was to be expected.
“I talked to a lot of people that had this and they said it’s normal,” Trout said. “You have some scar tissue break up and it’s sore for a couple days, and then you’re good.”
It’s unclear if Trout will need to return to Salt Lake or another minor league team to have a rehab assignment. He had originally been scheduled for three games.
Trout said on Friday that “I haven’t really talked to them about” a rehab assignment.
Angels manager Ron Washington, however, suggested that he’s ready to get Trout back in the lineup without another detour to Salt Lake City.
“Once he says he’s ready to go, he’s going to have to be ready to go here,” Washington said.
Washington said even if Trout wasn’t back to 100%, he wanted to get him back in the lineup for the impact he can have.
“I think these young kids need his presence in that lineup,” Washington said.
Anthony Rendon was hitting .167 with a .449 OPS in his first 54 plate appearances after missing more than two months with a torn hamstring.
Rendon returned without playing at all in the minors, instead just hitting against some Angels minor league pitchers at Angel Stadium.
“He’s searching,” Washington said. “But in his mind, he’s getting there. And I’m gonna wait till he gets there. Because if we can get him for the rest of the year, he eventually can come through for us.”
The Angels optioned left-hander Kenny Rosenberg after he gave up six runs in 3⅓ innings in his first start on Thursday night. They recalled right-hander Davis Daniel. The Angels have been cycling through pitchers trying to find someone to take hold of their vacancy in the rotation. …
At Triple-A, left-hander Reid Detmers has a 6.49 ERA and right-hander Chase Silseth has a 6.92 ERA. After a brief demotion to the bullpen, Silseth has been working shorter stints as a starter. He has allowed one run in eight innings in his last two starts. …
On the day when the Summer Olympics began in Paris, Washington was asked what event would be his specialty. “If there was fungo hitting in the Olympics, I think I’d win,” Washington said.
A’s (RHP Mitch Spence, 6-6, 4.67 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 8-8, 2.91 ERA), Saturday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM
