Weaver done for ’16, not for good

ANAHEIM — Jered Weaver won’t be able to make his scheduled start on Sunday in the Angels’ season finale because of tightness in his lower back, but the 11-year veteran is confident he’ll be back on a big league mound somewhere next year as he heads into his first offseason as a free agent.

“It hurts me to say that I won’t be able to make that start tomorrow,” Weaver said in the Angels’ dugout before Saturday’s game against the Astros.

Weaver, who turns 34 on Tuesday, said he wants “to pitch as long as I can and as long as somebody is going to give me a jersey. I think I still have some years left.”

“I am definitely not going to retire,” Weaver said. “I’m going to play and see what the options are.”

Weaver is not the same pitcher he once was, but he’s still proven to be a productive Major League starter. In 31 starts this season, Weaver was 12-12 with 103 strikeouts over 178 innings. The Angels were 16-15 when he took the mound. However, he allowed a career-high 37 home runs and his 5.06 ERA was the highest of his career.

Is Weaver’s preference to return to the Angels, the only organization he’s ever known?

“The Angels have been an amazing organization to play with for 11 years and I would love to stay here,” he said. “I’ve never been in this position to even experience free agency before. But my options are open. …

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