LA Angels catcher Jett Bandy making a solid impression

ANAHEIM >> The Angels on Thursday started their rookie catcher Jett Bandy for the second consecutive game.

It was the first time they had done so this season since Bandy was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake in late May to replace Geovany Soto who was put on the disabled list because of a to meniscus in his right knee.

Bandy, 26, began Thursday hitting .321 with a .333 on-base percentage and .393 slugging percentage, spaing 10 games. He was also 3 for 4 against the Astros on Wednesday in Houston.

But if Scioscia, a former catcher himself, has grown increasingly comfortable tuing to Bandy it’s because of his work behind the plate.

“You’re going to measure a catcher for what he does on the defensive end,” Scioscia said. “He’s developed on that end very nicely. I think he’s starting to understand game plan, adjusting for the game plan, understanding what a pitcher is going pitch to pitch and leaing a league. There’s a lot on the plate of a young catcher coming into the major leagues, coming into a staff with veteran pitchers, and Jett’s done a good job of moving forward and absorbing things. Hopefully he’ll continue to grow.”

He has not committed an error, either.

“When you make the major leagues as a catcher, it’s just the begiing,” Scioscia said. “You’ve obviously worked hard in the minor leagues to get there, but it’s just the begiing of your development.”

He could see more action, with Soto out for a couple more weeks and Carlos Perez, in his second season, offering little offense. Perez was hitting .186/.222/.298 entering the four-game, weekend series against the Oakland Athletics.

Pujols retus

Albert Pujols was back in the Angels’ lineup Thursday after consecutive days off for the first time since May of last year.

Pujols had strained his left hamstring when the Angels played the Athletics last weekend in Oakland.

Scioscia put Pujols at designated hitter.

The veteran slugger has shown durability even as he has tued 36 years old. He started 157 games last season and 159 games in 2014.

This season, he started 69 of the Angels’ first 70 games.

But this has been a rough month, as he began Thursday slugging .318 with only three extra-base hits.

Rehab report

Making a minor-league rehabilitation assignment at Class-A Inland Empire, Nick Tropeano threw 72 pitches over five iings. The right-hander allowed seven hits and four runs, walked two and struck out seven. He exited in the sixth iing when his wild pitch allowed a ruer to reach base.

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Tropeano has not started since May 29 because of shoulder tendinitis and was put on the disabled list in early June.

He was one of the Angels’ most effective starters to begin the season, going 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA in his first 10 starts.

When he retus to the rotation, the Angels will have a decision to make. He will be their sixth starting pitcher.

Also

Setup man Joe Smith threw a simulated game on Thursday and may see a rehab stint on Sunday, the next time he is scheduled to throw. Smith, out with a strained left hamstring, was eligible to retu from the disabled list on Wednesday. ... Tyler Skaggs, who had dealt with some shoulder trouble as he recovers from 2014 Tommy John surgery, threw 2 2/3 iings and 45 pitches in a minor-league game in Arizona on Wednesday night. He came out of it well, Scioscia said, but will need to continue his buildup before retuing to Triple-A. “He’s got some work ahead of him,” Scioscia said.