LOS ANGELES — The next day in “day to day” could determine if Anthony Rendon heads back to the injured list.

The Angels’ third baseman had been out with right wrist inflammation for 12 games, but he returned early than expected on Friday. On Tuesday night, his fourth game back, his wrist bothered him enough that the Angels had to reconsider.

The Angels kept Rendon on the active roster on Wednesday, although they were unsure if he’d be available to play at all. They were hoping he might be able to play on Thursday in Seattle.

“He’s exhausting all options, treatment and everything he’s doing,” interim manager Phil Nevin said. “He feels like today, if he could give it a day, maybe tomorrow when we get to Seattle, he may feel better. He wakes up each day and then kind of feels differently so hopefully tomorrow he wakes up and feels better. If not, then we’re gonna have to start those (injured list) conversations.”

Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad said the team “maybe sped things up a little bit” after getting a second opinion on the condition of his wrist, and also getting the feedback from Rendon that he was improving.

“He felt he could tolerate everything,” Frostad said. “He’s played a few games in a row and I think it’s him being able to go through all that now and tell us ‘There’s going to be days where I’m going to need a day.’”

The Angels have Jack Mayfield with the team on the taxi squad, so they’ll have him available to be activated in Seattle if Rendon doesn’t feel sufficient improvement on Thursday.

RISING Q RATING

José Quijada has been one of the bright spots in the Angels’ bullpen lately.

The left-hander has not allowed a run in 5-2/3 innings over his last five games. On Tuesday night, he retired all four hitters he faced, including a strikeout of Freddie Freeman to strand a runner at third in the fifth inning on Tuesday night. He then pitched a perfect sixth.

Nevin enjoys how well Quijada has pitched, as well as his mound presence.

“The energy is off the charts,” Nevin said. “Half the time I look out there and I think something’s wrong with him. He’s hurt. But that’s just Q. It’s his personality. It’s what makes him great.”

Nevin wouldn’t go so far as to say that Quijada has eclipsed Aaron Loup as their top lefty for high-leverage situations, though.

“I feel like we’ve got two really good lefties down there,” Nevin said. “The game will dictate how I use them and when they’re brought in. Both can handle hitters on both sides of the plate.”

Quijada, 26, began emerging as a dependable reliever last September, when he struck out 18 in 12 innings, with a 3.00 ERA. He said he’s done nothing different from his earlier major league opportunities, with the Miami Marlins in 2019 and the Angels in 2020.

“I’ve done the same thing,” he said through an interpreter. “Just throw strikes and attack the hitters.”

NOTES

The Angels still haven’t announced their starters for Saturday night’s game in Seattle or the series finale on Sunday. They have Shohei Ohtani, Michael Lorenzen and Patrick Sandoval scheduled for the first three games of the five-game series. Sandoval is pitching the day game in Saturday’s doubleheader. …

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Right-hander Chris Rodriguez (shoulder surgery) has resumed throwing after a six-week shutdown, Frostad said. It is unlikely that Rodriguez will be able to make it back to pitch this season, although the Angels haven’t mapped out his rehab beyond the next couple of weeks. …

Right-hander Cooper Criswell (right shoulder strain) has begun facing hitters in Arizona. If he has no issues after his next session facing hitters on Friday, the Angels will discuss getting him into a rehab game, Frostad said. …

Infielder David Fletcher (hip surgery) has been hitting flipped baseballs and doing some throwing. He said when the Angels get back from Seattle this week he hopes to start taking ground balls.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 4-4, 3.64) at Mariners (RHP George Kirby, 1-1, 3.65), Thursday, 7:10 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM