Angels pitchers Jered Weaver, Huston Street move closer to returns

Jered Weaver threw a three-inning, 50-pitch simulated game on Thursday, and the Angels right-hander, out for four weeks because of left hip inflammation, will repeat the workout next Monday or Tuesday before being activated off the disabled list.

That means the Angels can put off for another week or so the difficult decision of who comes out of the rotation when Weaver returns.

Manager Mike Scioscia said during Thursday’s workout that C.J. Wilson, Garrett Richards and Hector Santiago would start the first three games against the Boston Red Sox beginning Friday night. Andrew Heaney and Matt Shoemaker will pitch Monday and Tuesday, though not necessarily in that order.

Weaver said he should be ready “five days after” throwing his next simulated game, so that would put him in line to pitch July 25 or 26 against the Texas Rangers. Scioscia seemed confident Thursday that Weaver would not need a minor league rehabilitation assignment before returning.

Closer Huston Street, who has been out since suffering a right groin strain on July 8 at Colorado, threw off flat ground on Thursday but pushed a scheduled bullpen workout from Thursday to Friday.

“If all goes well, I should be ready to go on Saturday,” Street said. “Knock on wood.”

The Angels also announced that Keith Johnson, their former triple-A manager who has been serving this season as a roving infield instructor, will replace Rico Brogna as the team’s player information coach starting Friday night. Brogna has been moved to a professional scouting role.

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