Canning didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Nationals, giving up two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out four without walking a batter.
The right-hander missed all of last season due to a stress fracture in his back and was making his first big-league start since July 2021, but Canning showed no signs of rust as he produced 15 swinging strikes among his 69 pitches, firing 49 strikes in total. The Angels are likely to ease Canning back in slowly and could keep him in a sixth starter role that results in somewhat sporadic playing time, but with Jose Suarez struggling out of the gate, it's also possible the team will decide to see if Canning is ready to take the mound every fifth day or so.