Angels lose some scoring power by hitting a lot of solo home runs

OAKLAND — The Angels aren’t getting much bang for the buck, and not only because sluggers Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, who are signed to a combined $365 million in contracts, have underperformed.

Of the 108 home runs the Angels hit entering Thursday, 73 came with the bases empty, the third-most solo shots in the American League. Their percentage of home runs that came with the bases empty — 67.6% — is the highest in the league.

“If a few more of those came with guys on base, we might have some more wins,” said first baseman Mark Trumbo, who leads the team with 22 home runs, 15 of them solo shots. “You take what you can get, but it would be nice if more of them came with two or three runners on. It’s the weird nature of the game sometimes.”

The Angels entered Thursday ranked fourth in the AL in average (.265) and slugging (.423), fifth in on-base percentage (.327) and eighth in home runs and runs (443). They ranked 10th with a .256 average with runners in scoring position.

But one reason the bases are often empty for home runs is that the Angels lead the major leagues with 100 double-play grounders.

Of Pujols’ 17 home runs, 11 were with the bases empty. Mike Trout had 16 home runs, 12 of them solo shots. Hamilton had 14 home runs, eight solo.

“I think some of it is timing and some of it is cyclical,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “The batter’s-box productivity, that power we can bring into a game, hasn’t fully materialized the way we hoped it would.”

On the move

General Manager Jerry Dipoto said this week that bouncing Garrett Richards back and forth between the rotation and bullpen “is not appealing.” Richards, however, doesn’t seem to mind.

Richards welcomed the move to replace struggling Joe Blanton in the rotation for Saturday’s game, even though it means moving from relief to starting for the second time this season.

“I’m excited,” said Richards, who could improve his chances for a 2014 rotation spot by pitching well. “I feel like this is an opportunity to show what I can do. Every opportunity is an audition for a job. … I’m going to try to fill up the strike zone and go right after guys.”

In two big league seasons, Richards is 4-5 with a 4.92 earned-run average in 16 starts and 2-4 with a 4.57 ERA in 55 relief appearances.

Blanton, who is 2-13 with a 5.66 ERA, declined to comment about his demotion to a foreign role. He has nine relief appearances in nine seasons.

“His stuff could play in the bullpen,” Scioscia said. “We all feel Joe needs to be taken off that treadmill of banging into a wall and just exhale a little bit.”

Short hops

The Angels designated pitcher Billy Buckner for assignment to clear a spot for reliever J.C. Gutierrez, who was claimed off waivers from Kansas City on Wednesday. … The Angels acquired minor league outfielder Julio Concepcion and right-hander Andres Perez from the New York Mets for a $360,500 international slot bonus.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com