Angels catcher Jeff Mathis catches a break ... a bad one

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Catcher Jeff Mathis, who broke a bone in his right wrist Monday night and will be out for six to eight weeks, was scheduled to be examined by Dr. Norman Zemel, the Angels’ hand specialist, Wednesday night. When the swelling in the wrist subsides, it will be placed in a hard cast, which will remain on Mathis’ arm for three to four weeks.

‘I was pretty bummed [Tuesday] when I heard the news,’ said Mathis, an outstanding defensive catcher who was also off to a hot start at the plate, with a .324 average and a .500 slugging percentage in 10 games. ‘It’s part of the game, a bad break, but I’ll do what I can do to stay prepared, to keep my legs and core and my shoulder in shape. Hopefully, that will keep my mind on that and off what happened.’

Mathis suffered the injury when, with runners on second and third in the eighth inning Monday night, he blocked a breaking ball in the dirt from reliever Kevin Jepsen and was hit in the bare hand. He stayed in the game but complained of soreness after the game. X-rays Tuesday revealed the fracture.

‘I tried to keep the hand by my side,’ Mathis said. ‘It just drilled me.... I was feeling really good, very comfortable. That’s what’s so frustrating about this.’

-- Mike DiGiovanna