Los Angeles Angels set first Cactus League starting rotation

The Los Angeles Angels will enter their 29-game Cactus League schedule on Wednesday and have named Hector Santiago, an All-Star last year who is battling for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, the starter.

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MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reported that “also slated to pitch on Wednesday are Cam Bedrosian, A.J. Achter, Rob Rasmussen, Greg Mahle, Lucas Luetge, Kyle McGowin and Victor Alcantara.”

Santiago will not be expected to pitch more than two or three innings in the exhibition game that will be played against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz. First pitch is expected at 12:05 PST.

It’s interesting that Santiago got the nod for a few reasons.

One is that the Angels will get an early look at the heavy favorite to win the Halos fifth role in the rotation, likely behind Garrett Richards, Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Andrew Heaney.

The role seems to be Santiago’s to lose, but if he did, it would likely go to Matt Shoemaker or Nick Tropeano since Mike Scioscia has noted that he wants Tyler Skaggs to return to baseball slowly this season and doesn’t want him rushing into any Big League action.

Santiago’s probable start on Wednesday is also interesting because, as Gonzalez notes, Richards and Weaver would follow him as the team’s starters on Thursday and Friday — and that leaves Richards and Weaver in line to make the first two starts of the Angels’ regular season against the Chicago Cubs on April 4 and 5.

Richards hasn’t officially been announced as the team’s Opening Day starter but it would be more than surprising if the 27-year-old didn’t get the call.

The right-hander was an anchor in the rotation last season, putting together a solid 15-12 record with a 3.65 ERA while striking out a career-high 176.

The more surprising aspect, in my opinion, would be Weaver getting the call in the second game of that series. Unless he has made some serious adjustments in the offseason, I thought Weaver was destined to be the No. 3 guy in the Angels rotation behind Wilson.

Perhaps there was a shift because Wilson was shut down with shoulder tendinitis and doesn’t have a return date laid out just yet. Or perhaps the Angels feel confident Weaver will bounce back from a 2015 campaign where he saw a career-high in losses (12) and ERA (4.64) paired with a career-low in strikeouts (90).

Either way, if Richards gets the Opening Day nod it will be the first time Weaver isn’t on the bump for the season’s inaugural game since Joe Saunders took the hill in 2009. Weaver’s six-consecutive Opening Day starts (and seven overall) are the most in franchise history.

For now, though, we know what the Angels plan for the Spring is as far as starters go and it looks something like this:

Santiago (Wednesday @SF)
Richards (Thursday vs OAK)
Weaver (Friday @CHC)
Heaney (Saturday @SEA)
Tropeano (Sunday vs KC)

Shoemaker is expected to pitch in a relief role this week but will probably see time as a starter later down the road so the Angels can evaluate him.

Just a few more days without baseball, Angels fans. It’s almost here.

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