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Jered Weaver to make first start of season

Apr 17, 2007 - 2:28 PM LA Angels (6-7) at Oakland (6-7) 10:05 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- For the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the return of Jered Weaver could not come soon enough.

Weaver (NR), who burst onto the scene in 2006 by winning his first nine major league decisions, makes his first start of the year on Tuesday when the Angels visit the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series.

The 24-year-old righthander is making his way back from biceps tendinitis that has sidelined him since March 21.

Weaver's return comes at a perfect time for the slumping Angels, who desperately need a solid pitching performance after scoring just 14 runs in their last six games. Los Angeles was outscored, 25-3 in three losses at Boston and has dropped five of its last six.

To add injury to insult, the Angels may be without slugger Vladimir Guerrero, who was hit on the right wrist by pitcher Josh Beckett in the first inning of Monday's game. X-rays were negative, but Guerrero is listed as day-to-day with a soft tissue contusion.

The Angels will try to break out of their offensive woes against Oakland's Chad Gaudin (0-0, 2.53). Gaudin allowed just one run and three hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings last Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.

Marco Scutaro's three-run homer off All-Star closer Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning lifted Oakland to a dramatic 5-4 win over the New York Yankees on Sunday.