Rehab start goes well for Angels’ Jered Weaver

Jered Weaver on Wednesday moved a big step closer to returning from the disabled list and closer Ryan Madson suffered another setback when his right arm flared up after a one-inning minor league outing 10 days ago.

Weaver threw 5 2/3 innings in an extended spring-training game in Arizona, giving up a run and six hits against a team of Arizona Diamondbacks minor league players. Weaver, who hasn’t pitched since fracturing his left elbow April 7, made 75 pitches, 62 for strikes. He struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter.

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said Weaver will throw a bullpen session this weekend in Kansas City before the team decides where he will pitch next, with a start next week at Dodger Stadium a strong possibility.

“We’re going to fold him back into our rotation at some point next week is the best case,” Scioscia said. “But we’ve got a lot of things we have to work through before we make that decision.”

Madson hit a bump on the road back from Tommy John surgery when his forearm became inflamed after a six-pitch performance for Class-A Inland Empire on May 13, delaying a planned rehab visit to triple-A Salt Lake.

“It hasn’t calmed yet. So I think we hit another plateau,” said Madson, who had surgery 13 months ago for a torn ulnar collateral ligament. He last appeared in a big league game in October 2011.

Madson said his fastball was touching 94 mph before this latest setback, indicating he was close to being game ready. Now, he says, General Manager Jerry Dipoto has urged him to be more cautious in his approach.

“Jerry was the one that really said ‘No more racing to the finish line. Let’s do this right. I’m tired of having these setbacks,’ ” Madson said. “My choice was I wanted to get it ready. They allowed me to do that up until this point. Now they’re like ‘OK, you’ve done it your way and it hasn’t worked out. So now we’re going to do our way.’ ”

Short hops

Reliever Kevin Jepsen, out more than five weeks because of a shoulder strain, made his second minor league rehab appearance Wednesday, pitching an inning for Salt Lake. But it didn’t go well with the right-hander giving up three runs, including two home runs, and a walk. He threw 19 pitches, 12 for strikes. ... Outfielder Peter Bourjos, out three weeks because of a left hamstring strain, is hopeful he can begin a minor league rehab stint before the end of the month. Bourjos, who was batting a team-high .313 when he was injured, was expected to sit out six weeks.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com

Twitter: @kbaxter11