Cam Bedrosian sent down, A.J. Achter called up as Angels are forced to juggle bullpen roster

The inherent folly in attempting to predict opening-day rosters made itself clear Saturday, when the Angels were forced to send down a young right-hander who made their season-opening bullpen in favor of a journeyman who did not.

After Matt Shoemaker’s three-inning start Friday taxed their relief corps, the Angels optioned Cam Bedrosian to triple-A Salt Lake and recalled right-hander A.J. Achter.

Bedrosian had pitched twice in the Angels’ first four games. Achter had not yet pitched at triple A, which helped his candidacy for the call-up. Ordinarily, the Angels would have sent down the reliever who bore the brunt of the innings burden, right-hander Cory Rasmus, but he is out of options and could’ve been claimed on waivers if removed from the team.

So the choice became Bedrosian. He has spent the last two seasons shuttling between Salt Lake and Anaheim and figures to do more of the same in 2016, his final year of options.

Achter, 27, was claimed off waivers during the off-season. He allowed only one run in 10 2/3 innings during spring training, striking out 11 men while walking one. That kept him in the opening-day roster conversation for most of March.

“I think that’s the best I’ve felt in any of the spring trainings of my professional career,” Achter said.

Achter threw 24 1/3 major league innings over the last two seasons with Minnesota and permitted 17 runs — eight of which scored in his two appearances against the Angels.

“There are a few guys in this clubhouse who have my number,” Achter said of his new teammates.

Short hops

Saturday marked the seven-year anniversary of the death of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart. He died in a car crash caused by a drunk driver after leaving Angel Stadium the night he made his season debut. “There’s always something that pops up that reminds you of Nick,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. . . .

Left-hander C.J. Wilson was cleared by the Angels’ medical staff to begin throwing. He will head to the team’s spring-training complex in Arizona on Monday, the day the Angels begin an 11-day trip. Wilson will require at least a month to be ready to return to the majors, and likely longer. . . . The Rangers began to outline a return timeline for ace Yu Darvish, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery in March 2015. The Dallas Morning News reported he could be back in the majors in the final week of May, when the Angels will be in Texas.

Follow Pedro Moura on Twitter: @pedromoura