Angels call up Andrew Heaney to start against Astros on Wednesday

The Angels have called up top pitching prospect Andrew Heaney from triple-A Salt Lake, and the 24-year-old left-hander will make his Angels debut against the American League West-leading Houston Astros in Angel Stadium on Wednesday.

Heaney, acquired from the Dodgers via the Miami Marlins for second baseman Howie Kendrick last December, was 6-2 with a 4.71 earned-run average at Salt Lake, but he had a 7.81 ERA over his last five starts, allowing 24 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings.

Manager Mike Scioscia said earlier this week that “there’s been a couple of games where [Heaney] hasn’t pitched quite as bad as his line score might show.”

The Angels optioned outfielder Alfredo Marte back to Salt Lake after Tuesday night’s 13-3 loss to the Astros, creating the roster spot Heaney took Wednesday morning.

Heaney takes the rotation spot of right-hander Jered Weaver, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of left-hip inflammation. Right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who was scheduled to start Wednesday, has been pushed back to Friday night’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners.

Heaney appeared in seven games, five starts, for the Marlins last season, going 0-3 with a 5.83 ERA, striking out 20, walking seven and giving up six home runs in 29 1/3 innings.

He entered spring training in a competition with Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano for the fifth rotation spot, a job Santiago won and has run with, going 4-4 with a 2.68 ERA in his first 15 games, 14 of them starts.