Angels place struggling Harvey on IL with back strain

Matt Harvey's dreadful season just got a whole lot worse.

Two days after he allowed eight runs in just 2 2/3 innings, the Los Angeles Angels placed Harvey on the 10-day injured list with an upper back strain. The move was not made retroactively, meaning his IL stint begins Saturday.

No timetable for his return was announced.

Harvey, whose fall from grace was almost as quick as his rise to stardom with the New York Mets earlier this decade, joined the Angels on a one-year, $11-million deal in the offseason. He's allowed at least five runs in half of his 10 starts this year and six or more on three occasions. While he's slightly short of enough innings to qualify for the leaderboards (he's currently at 48), Harvey's 7.50 ERA is the worst among starters with at least 40 innings.

Thursday's start against the Minnesota Twins was Harvey's worst showing as an Angel. While frustrated afterward, the 30-year-old insisted that health was not a factor in his performance.

"That's the frustrating part," Harvey said Thursday, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. "I feel good. I feel healthy. It's just ... the ball's not coming out right."

However, manager Brad Ausmus contradicted the right-hander Saturday when he told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times that Harvey's back did flare up during Thursday's start, though he didn't say anything at the time.

While Harvey didn't discuss the injury Saturday, his agent Scott Boras told DiGiovanna that the back issue is muscular in nature.

"They found a little weakness in his muscle," Boras said. "Not anything long term."

In a corresponding move, the Angels recalled right-hander Taylor Cole from Triple-A Salt Lake. Cole had been sent down Friday but was allowed to return due to Harvey's injury.

Los Angeles also optioned reliever Luke Bard to Salt Lake while reinstating right-hander Luis Garcia from the IL.