Deadline on Harvey is near

With Wednesday’s deadline to sign players from the amateur draft approaching, high school pitcher Matt Harvey, as of Sunday afternoon, still hadn’t heard directly from the Angels, who picked the highly touted right-hander in the third round.

But Angels scouting director Eddie Bane said he has had several conversations with the family, which he characterized as “baby steps” toward what the team hopes will be an agreement.

“I haven’t gotten a call from the Angels, but I don’t know if my dad has talked to them,” said Harvey, a projected first-round pick who fell to 118th overall because most teams feared advisor Scott Boras’ asking price, believed to be about $2.5 million. “I’ll find out more when I get home.”

Harvey, from Groton, Conn., was returning from the Connie Mack World Series in New Mexico, where he threw a complete game to lead the Midland (Ohio) Redskins to a 15-4 win over East Cobb, Ga., in Saturday’s championship game.

Harvey had two complete-game wins in the tournament, and his fastball was clocked around 95 mph. If he doesn’t sign with the Angels, he will play for NCAA power North Carolina.

“I’m very excited about going to North Carolina,” Harvey said. “I’m happy I’ll have a chance to pitch there.”

Closer Francisco Rodriguez suffered a minor left ankle sprain Saturday when he landed in a hole on the mound on his first pitch of the ninth inning.

Rodriguez finished the inning after a grounds crew patched the mound for the second time in the game. Starter John Lackey moved over on the rubber earlier in the game to avoid landing in the hole.

“The mound is one of the best in the league, but it started to crumble about a month ago,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “They repaired it, but sometimes it hasn’t maintained its consistency for the whole game.”

Juan Rivera, who has sat out the season because of a broken leg, will begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment today, either for rookie-league Arizona or Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. The outfielder should get the 50 or so at-bats the Angels believe he’ll need to be ready to return by early September.

“Barring a setback, there’s a strong possibility he’ll become an option,” Scioscia said. “He’s put together well enough to compete and to see if we can get his game to where he needs to be to play in the major leagues.”

Gary Matthews Jr., relegated to designated hitter Friday and Saturday because of an inflamed left knee he suffered Wednesday, was given Sunday off, in hopes he can return to center field Tuesday in Toronto.

“We could limp through this, but it’s going to affect his ability to play center field,” Scioscia said. “We need him to play at a high level, so we’re going to give him two days off and see how he feels Tuesday.”

Bartolo Colon, sidelined by an elbow irritation, threw 30 pitches, all fastballs, in the bullpen Sunday and “felt real good,” pitching coach Mike Butcher said. Colon is scheduled to throw a 45-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and could start a rehab assignment this weekend. . . . Ervin Santana gave up three runs and seven hits Sunday in six innings of a triple-A game against Portland and is a candidate to pitch in Friday’s doubleheader at Boston. . . . Catcher Mike Napoli said his strained right hamstring was “a little sore” Sunday after an unsuccessful attempt to run at full speed Friday. He probably won’t be activated until the weekend.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com