Tyler Anderson a steady presence in Angels’ rotation

Leading the way for an Angels rotation that’s been battered and tested in recent weeks, the 34-year-old Anderson has remained immovable, a point of reference in the ever-changing scenery around him.

The importance of it isn’t lost on anyone.

“It’s very valuable,” manager Ron Washington said after Sunday’s 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. “And he’s been doing it all year. I must say, up until today, I think our pitching has been holding their own. It’s just, we haven’t been able to support them with runs. Today, [our relievers] gave up some runs, but up until today, I mean, they’ve been keeping us in ballgames and giving us a chance.”

Anderson did it again on Sunday, even if the dominance of past starts eluded him.

The left-hander pitched five innings of two-run ball against Toronto, striking out three on four hits and four walks, including one with the bases loaded to open the scoring in the bottom of the third. Still, he kept it from snowballing.

Against a righty-heavy lineup, Anderson relied on his changeup first and foremost, mixing in his four-seamer and cutter to generate weak contact and get some key outs. Toronto managed just three hard-hit balls against Anderson, who departed after 97 pitches.

“The command wasn’t great, so I just tried to battle through that today,” said Anderson. “I feel like they had a good team approach. I just tried to battle through and give us a chance.”

It hasn’t been the strongest month for Anderson, who owns a 5.53 ERA over five starts and 27 2/3 innings in August. He’ll be the first to admit it, too, though it’s hard to argue with his overall numbers.

Those two earned runs allowed in his 26th start of the season brought Anderson’s ERA to 3.41 over 158 1/3 innings — the seventh-highest total in the AL.

When Washington says his trusted starter has been doing it all year, this is what he means. There’s no overstating the importance of a steady hand amid this group of starters.

The Angels will be without lefty Patrick Sandoval (torn flexor tendon and UCL) and righty Chase Silseth (Tommy John surgery) until next season. José Soriano (right arm fatigue) hasn’t resumed throwing yet, and won’t be back until September at the earliest. Reid Detmers, a promising young arm in this rotation just a season ago, has pitched to a 5.88 ERA in 13 starts with Triple-A Salt Lake.

Filling out a Major League rotation is no small task. It helps to have a trusted veteran take the mound every five days, though Anderson insists he draws as much from his teammates as he expects them to draw from him.

“I haven’t been great this last month, so I feel like I probably need to step it up more than anybody,” said Anderson. “But in general, I feel like it’s not one guy or the other. Usually when pitchers start pitching well, [things start] rolling that way. Hitting is contagious, pitching is contagious. So hopefully you want to be on the right side of it.”

The Angels are still waiting for that contagious hitting to get going, but it is true that it’s been a great collective stretch for these starters.

Since Anderson’s previous start — a six-inning effort in a win over the Royals — the Halos’ rotation has combined for 29 1/3 innings pitched and 10 earned runs over five games, good for a 3.07 ERA. That includes Johnny Cueto’s debut with the Angels in Kansas City and Griffin Canning’s six scoreless innings in relief on Thursday, not to mention Jack Kochanowicz’s third consecutive quality start on Friday.

This isn’t exactly what the Angels envisioned, but they’re making it work.

“All of us, we want to take the ball every day and give us a chance, regardless of any personal [goals] or whatever,” said Anderson. “I think our whole goal is just to try to stay in the game as long as we can, and hopefully get out with the lead or keep the game close to give us a chance.”

That task continues in Detroit now. Cueto will be back on the mound on Tuesday, another veteran arm tasked with anchoring this ailing rotation. The young guys that are here, as well as those waiting in the wings, can watch and learn for now. There’s plenty to glean from these unwavering presences.