McPherson plans to return in the spring

Dallas McPherson, who underwent season-ending surgery to repair a bulging disk in his lower back in January, has resumed full baseball activities and will report to the Angels’ instructional league in Arizona on Sept. 15, with an eye toward playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic or Mexico.

“I feel pretty good -- definitely not 100%, but I’m on the right path,” said McPherson, who was limited by back and leg injuries to 101 games in 2005 and 2006. “It’s nice to be on the field, getting into baseball shape, getting my swing back and my legs underneath me. The back is holding up well.”

McPherson, a corner infielder who was one of the organization’s top power prospects until being derailed by injury, has been hitting, taking ground balls and running the bases for about five weeks in Arizona, but he won’t test his back in game conditions until later in the month.

If he survives instructional league and plays some winter ball, “I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be more than ready” for spring training next February, McPherson said.

In McPherson’s absence, the Angels have developed considerable depth at third base (Chone Figgins, Maicer Izturis) and first base (Casey Kotchman, Kendry Morales).

“I’m going to have to earn a roster spot,” McPherson said. “I don’t know what the Angels’ plans are with me, but if I’m healthy, I’ll worry about everything else later.”

In an upset, Manager Mike Scioscia said Ervin Santana, who didn’t make it out of the first inning Tuesday night in Seattle, will remain in the rotation and start Monday against Oakland.

There was heavy speculation that Santana, who was rocked for five runs and four hits and retired only one Mariners batter, would be replaced in the rotation by Dustin Moseley, whose 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief Tuesday enabled the Angels to come back for a 10-6 victory.

But Scioscia said pitching coach Mike Butcher found a couple of mechanical flaws in Santana’s delivery, and he wants to give Santana, who has a 5-12 record and 6.38 earned-run average, another start to see if “he can pitch to his capabilities.”

All the long hours he logged rehabilitating from last summer’s rotator-cuff tear and recovering from a concussion and brain hemorrhage suffered in a batting-practice collision with a teammate last September paid off for Jason Bulger, a reliever who was called up from triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, the day teams could expand rosters.

“It’s been a fun climb back,” said Bulger, a hard-throwing right-hander who went 5-2 with a 3.69 ERA and 10 saves in 49 games for Salt Lake. “To think of the countless hours of work I’ve done and the hours the Angels [medical] staff put in with me makes this really sweet.”

Bulger walked one during a scoreless ninth inning Saturday. The Angels added another hard-throwing right-handed reliever in Rich Thompson, a native of Australia who gave up one hit and struck out two in the eighth inning Saturday. Outfielder Juan Rivera completed his rehab assignment at Salt Lake and will join the Angels today.

Catcher Mike Napoli (strained right hamstring) was activated off the disabled list Saturday, but until he’s able to run 100%, he will be available only to play defense. . . . Infielder Erick Aybar (strained left hamstring) began a rehab assignment for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday and will be activated Tuesday.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com