Angels pick Cam Bedrosian over Al Alburquerque to fill bullpen vacancy created by Huston Street’s injury

ARLINGTON, Texas â€”  Faced again with the choice they made four weeks ago for their opening-day roster, the Angels made the same decision, calling up right-hander Cam Bedrosian from triple-A Salt Lake on Friday over fellow right-hander Al Alburquerque.

They had an opening in their bullpen after they placed closer Huston Street on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain Thursday. Bedrosian, 24, spent the first five days of the season with the Angels before being sent down when short outings by starters taxed the team’s bullpen.

With Salt Lake, he had a 3.26 earned-run average and, notably, 14 strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings. The Angels bullpen carried the worst strikeout rate in the majors into Friday’s game against Texas. Manager Mike Scioscia said that was not a major factor in the choice to take Bedrosian over the more experienced Alburquerque.

“He’s up here because he’s throwing the ball really well,� Scioscia said. “That’s more important than striking guys out.�

Street said he was still unsure how long he’d be out. He was hopeful that the strain would prove minor because it occurred during warmups and not the intensity of a game.

“You have to give at least 72 hours to a week before you really, really have a clear-cut understanding of whether it’s going to be just two weeks or if it’s going to be three or four,� he said.

Short hops

After Miami second baseman Dee Gordon’s 80-game suspension, Street said he did not support the voiding of contracts for positive PED tests. He thinks the punishment is tough enough. “You can worship money or you can worship respect,� Street said. “In my mind, you play this game for respect. You can live in a palace and call yourself great, but if no one respects you, what do you really have? The ultimate punishment when you cheat is your respect is lost forever.� . . . Angels first-base coach Gary DiSarcina traveled to Massachusetts to tend to a family emergency and will be away from the team this weekend. Infield coach Alfredo Griffin returned to the first-base role he filled for the previous 16 seasons. . . . Left-hander Tyler Skaggs, attempting to make his way back from elbow-reconstruction surgery, felt shoulder tightness after throwing a bullpen session with triple-A Salt Lake this week. He will be evaluated in Los Angeles on Monday, General Manager Billy Eppler said.

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