Angels’ C.J. Wilson is not concerned about missing starts

As he prepared to depart the Angels’ clubhouse for the field Saturday morning at Tempe Diablo Stadium, C.J. Wilson realized he could put his phone in his locker and forget about it. For more than a week, he had handed it off to an assigned attendant each time he headed out.

Wilson is still adjusting to post-childbirth life after his wife, Lisalla, delivered the couple’s first child, daughter Valentina, on Monday. But the 35-year-old left-hander has accepted the reality he probably will start the 2016 season on the disabled list.

Sidelined by shoulder tendinitis before he headed home for the birth, Wilson has resumed throwing only on flat ground, with no date set for him to return to a mound. He said he is unworried by the delay, because his shoulder is feeling better and he is not in danger of missing significant time.

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“If I miss a start, whether it’s two in spring training and none in the season or three in spring training and one in the season, then whatever,” Wilson said. “If I make 30-something starts, I make 30-something starts.”

Wilson made 30-something starts for five consecutive seasons, from 2010 to 2014, also his first five seasons as a starting pitcher. In 2015, he made 21, opting in August to have surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow.

This is the final season of his five-year, $77.5-million contract. He’s due $20 million and can unilaterally block trades to eight teams. The Angels explored dealing him in the off-season but could not complete negotiations. As of now, they are counting on Wilson to be part of their rotation.

He thinks his chances of delivering on those expectations will be bettered if he approaches this spring deliberately.

“Nobody cares how hard you try,” Wilson said. “They only care how well you do. And if you’re not in physical position to do well enough, then you might as well let somebody else play, at least for a week or two.”

Rasmus adjusts to a new spot

From his decade-long professional career, Cory Rasmus can recall plenty of points at which he thought he had “zero chance” of ever making the major leagues. Arm injuries set the right-hander back several times.

But he did make it, first for a couple short stints in 2013, and then for a surprisingly strong run the next year. He struck out 57 batters in 56 innings and finished with a 2.57 earned-run average.

“I thought it was awesome, and I thought I’d never get back there again,” Rasmus said.

Rasmus, 28, entered the 2015 season with a bullpen spot secured. Then he suffered a hernia covering first base in March and was out three months. He said he returned not entirely right, and, though he pitched well in triple A, his numbers were subpar when he reached the major leagues. He compensated for a weakened core with his arm, and soon his forearm began to ache.

He had a 5.23 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.

Now, Rasmus’ situation is different, as he is out of options. The Angels must either place him on the 25-man roster to start the season or risk losing him to another team.

“I’ll deal with whatever happens as it comes,” he said.

Short hops

Angels closer Huston Street pitched his first inning of the spring against Angels minor leaguers in an intrasquad game Saturday. Street had initially been scheduled to pitch in the major league game against the Mariners, but he did not have to travel across town to Peoria. … Albert Pujols will debut as the Angels’ designated hitter Sunday, Manager Mike Scioscia said. Recovering from off-season foot surgery, Pujols recently began participating in defensive drills. Scioscia said it has not yet been determined whether Pujols will be fit to play first base at any time before opening day. “If he’s ready, great,” the manager said. “If he’s not, so be it.”

Follow Pedro Moura on Twitter @pedromoura