Fyhrie Dealt to the Cubs for Nieves

The Angels added some much-needed depth at shortstop Sunday, acquiring infielder Jose Nieves from the Chicago Cubs for reliever Mike Fyhrie and either cash or a player to be named.

Nieves, 25, most likely will back up shortstop Benji Gil and second basemen David Eckstein and Adam Kennedy, once Kennedy returns from a broken bone in his right hand.

Nieves played 82 games for the Cubs last season, batting .212 with five homers and 24 runs batted in, and he hit .249 with two homers and 18 RBIs in 54 games for the Cubs in 1999. The Angels scouted Nieves extensively this spring and believe he is a capable defensive player.

But the native of Venezuela was not expected to make the Cubs this spring because Ricky Gutierrez is the starting shortstop, and Augie Ojeda, a player the Angels also inquired about, won the utility infield job.

“He gives us another option at short, and he can play second and third,” General Manager Bill Stoneman said. “It’s no secret we have a lot of bullpen depth, and we still do. The Cubs had a couple of middle infielders and needed a reliever, so hopefully this should work well for both clubs.”

Fyhrie, 31, was the favorite to win the final spot in the Angel bullpen, but the versatile right-hander, who can pitch long or short relief and is capable of starting, is a lock to make the Cubs’ bullpen.

The former Huntington Beach Ocean View High standout had a 2.39 earned-run average in 32 games for the Angels last season, limiting left-handers to a .222 average.

Troy Percival, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Al Levine, Mike Holtz and Ben Weber have secured bullpen spots. With Fyhrie gone, Lou Pote and left-handers Randy Espina and Mark Lukasiewicz will battle for the final spot.

“Me, Weber and Pote were joking [Saturday] night, saying one of us would probably get traded,” Fyhrie said. “You’re just hoping it isn’t you. . . . But Chicago is a good team, a good city. It’s a good opportunity.”

Nieves joined the Angels for a morning workout and started in a 9-6 exhibition loss to the Cubs on Sunday, going hitless in two at-bats. Fyhrie greeted the Cubs’ team bus at Tempe Diablo Stadium but did not suit up for the game against his former teammates.

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Manager Mike Scioscia named Scott Schoeneweis, who has a 2-0 record and 2.35 ERA in four spring starts, as the Angels’ opening day starter Sunday.

Jarrod Washburn was in line to start against the Texas Rangers on April 3, but the left-hander came down with strep throat and has been sidelined for more than a week.

Schoeneweis, who last pitched in Arizona on Thursday, will throw a bullpen workout today and start Thursday against the Cubs in Mesa, Ariz. He then will have four days rest before the regular-season opener at Texas.

“Scott is a guy we feel confident giving the ball to on opening day,” Scioscia said. “We’re excited about the progress he’s made. He’s going to have a good year for us.”

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Angel right-hander Pat Rapp suffered his worst outing of the spring Sunday, giving up six runs on eight hits, including Ron Coomer’s two-run home run, in five innings. Afterward, he lashed out at home-plate umpire Brian Gorman. “He was squeezing me,” Rapp said. “When you hit the catcher’s chest consistently, and eight of those 10 pitches are balls . . . [Cub starter Kerry] Wood and I were both [complaining]. I don’t know if he’s having his spring training or what, but he wasn’t seeing the same game we were.” . . . Kennedy will return to Southern California on Friday for tests to determine how the broken bone in his right hand is healing. Kennedy has been throwing for three days, but he won’t be cleared to hit until the weekend at the earliest.