Scioscia will get more cards to play

All season long, Manager Mike Scioscia has filled his lineup like a jigsaw puzzle, mixing and matching an order that has been reconfigured many times because of injuries.

But with today the first day teams can expand rosters to as many as 40 players, Scioscia hopes to finally get back some of his depth.

Outfielder Juan Rivera, out all season because of a broken leg, is set to complete his minor league rehabilitation and return to the team Sunday. Utilityman Erick Aybar probably will be activated from the disabled list Tuesday. And third baseman Chone Figgins took a few swings Friday.

“This week is the first all year where we are starting to have some decisions we haven’t been faced with,” Scioscia said. “Our challenge all year was not finding which bat to put in the lineup. Our dilemma was there were so many guys banged up [to] find a bat that will give you any depth in the lineup.”

Factoring in the hot-swinging Kendry Morales and the season-long emergence of Reggie Willits, the Angels’ bench -- once a bare shelf -- may soon be brimming with options.

“You are starting to see a bench taking form,” Scioscia said.

Figgins, taking swings off a tee for the first time since bruising his left wrist Aug. 22, said he would take additional cuts today.

“I was just trying to push it a bit and see what I could do and the last 15 swings, I opened it up a bit and it felt a little better,” said Figgins, who only swung from the left side.

With the influx of returnees, Willits, a sparkplug and major contributor, could be the odd man out.

That was the case Friday, when Scioscia elected to start Morales at designated hitter against Texas right-hander Vicente Padilla.

Morales was eight for 14 in the Angels’ three-game sweep over Seattle with one home run and four runs batted in.

“Reggie is going to get his opportunities, but especially from the left side, Kendry is swinging so well right now that we need some of that depth in the lineup,” Scioscia said.

Scioscia said he had yet to decide who would start Monday’s game against Oakland but ruled out a rehabbing Bartolo Colon.

“There’s a couple things we are looking at,” he said.

Dustin Moseley and the erratic Ervin Santana, the two most likely candidates, are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions over the weekend.

Colon, on the disabled list because of elbow irritation, gave up three runs over five innings on Thursday for triple-A Salt Lake. He threw 69 pitches, topping out at 95 mph.

“He pitched well,” Scioscia said. “His velocity was good, and he carried through to almost 70 pitches.”

Colon was expected to make another rehab start Tuesday and throw between 85 and 90 pitches.

Catcher Mike Napoli, out for nearly a month because of a strained right hamstring, said it tightened as he tried running from first to third before Friday’s game.

“I’m real frustrated because I want to be a part of this,” Napoli said. “I thought I would be playing by now.”

Scioscia said it was now questionable whether Napoli would be able to complete a rehabassignment in time before the minor league season ends.

At the least, he said, Napoli would be available as an emergency catcher.

“He’s just working through some kinks of getting back in shape,” Scioscia said.

Reliever Steven Shell cleared waivers and was outrighted to triple-A Salt Lake.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com