LA Angels could move Jefry Marte to left field

On Sunday, Marte hit his third home run in five games and fourth since he was recalled from Triple-A on May 31. Though he was batting .200 this month going into Monday’s game, he has a team-high .600 slugging percentage.

There is a bit of a balancing act getting him in the lineup.

Marte plays first base and third base. He has been used as a designated hitter as well. So when he is in the lineup, one of the Angels’ other power sources, Yunel Escobar, C.J. Cron or Albert Pujols, is not.

A solution, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, is to put Marte, acquired in a trade from Detroit last January, in left field.

“He has the athleticism to do an adequate job,” Scioscia said.

The 24-year-old Marte has never played the position previously.

“Obviously, he doesn’t have the experience, but he’s worked hard for the last week,” Scioscia added. “I think (third base coach) Ron Roenicke’s comfort level has grown with his ability to go out there and make the routine plays you have to make.”

Marte’s rise has hurt Cron the most. He was out of the lineup for the fourth time in six games and has just 22 at-bats this month.

“We’ve certainly not put him on the shelf or in cold storage,” Scioscia said. “Marte is really swinging it well.”

Scioscia said they are not considering sending Cron, who has hit .253/.307/.396 this season, to Triple-A, where he could get more at-bats.

“C.J. is certainly someone we haven’t forgotten about,” he said. “If a player is playing four of five days a week in the major leagues, that should be enough for him to stay sharp and still contribute. … On the offensive side, we’ve certainly got things better this past month. C.J. was part of it.”

Lincecum debut set

Tim Lincecum, the two-time Cy Young Award wier who signed a one-year contract with the Angels last month, will make his first start at Oakland this weekend.

Scioscia said he would “definitely” join the rotation by then and expects him to start Saturday.

Lincecum threw seven scoreless iings in his final start at Triple-A on Sunday, with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Asked where he saw the biggest strides over Lincecum’s three minor-league starts, Scioscia said, “his strike percentage.”

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“He was in the zone early,” Scioscia added. “He got his secondary pitches in the game.”

Lincecum threw 89 pitches Sunday at Fresno, 57 for strikes.

Injury report

Andrew Heaney had an ultrasound Monday on his ulnar collateral ligament, six weeks after receiving a stem-cell injection.

“It is healing,” Heaney said. “I know that for a fact. It is healing, a pretty good amount. It just depends on the rate.”

The left-hander has not yet resumed throwing. General Manager Billy Eppler said he will be reevaluated in two to three weeks.

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons (thumb) was in the lineup at Triple-A for the fourth time in five days Monday and could rejoin the Angels during this week’s series against Miesota.

He was scheduled to be evaluated after Monday night’s game.

“I’ll tell you, he made a lot of progress over the weekend,” Scioscia said.

Also

The Angels recalled a pair of relief pitchers, Al Alburquerque and A.J. Achter, from Triple-A, as they placed right-hander Cory Rasmus on the disabled list because of a groin strain. … David Huff, a left-hander who gave up seven eaed runs in 5-1/3 iings in two starts this past week, was designated for assignment, along with Kyle Kubitza. … The Angels released right-hander Cody Satterwhite, who plans to sign with a team from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. … Bullpen coach Scott Radinsky (illness) has rejoined the team on a part-time basis, but has not been cleared to travel with the team. Scioscia expects him to do so later this season.