Hasegawa Goes on Disabled List

Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of inflammation in his throwing shoulder Thursday, and the Angels recalled right-hander Scot Shields from triple-A Salt Lake.

Hasegawa, who is 2-3 with a 4.79 earned-run average in 18 appearances, began experiencing discomfort after earning a win against Toronto on May 17. He threw two scoreless innings against Cleveland Saturday, but his shoulder continued to bother him.

Though Hasegawa said he could continue to pitch, the Angels did not want to risk further injury, so they placed the right-hander on the DL for the first time in his five years in Anaheim.

Hasegawa will return to Southern California today to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, team physician, but neither Hasegawa nor Manager Mike Scioscia believe the injury is serious.

“Since he hasn’t pitched in a while, we could back-date the DL date [to Sunday] and give him four or five days to build arm strength,” Scioscia said. “I don’t think this is bad, but it’s something we want to stay on top of.”

Shields, 25, is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA in nine starts for Salt Lake, but the Angels project him as a reliever in the big leagues. Al Levine and Ben Weber will replace Hasegawa in the set-up role, and Shields will throw middle and long relief.

Tim Salmon was hitless in three at-bats Thursday, prolonging a four-for-44 skid that has reduced his average to .196. In his last at-bat, Oriole second baseman Jerry Hairston made a leaping grab of Salmon’s liner.

“I think there’s like 15 guys on defense when Salmon comes up,” first baseman Wally Joyner joked. “Guys are jumping, diving, making great plays . . . hopefully we’ll do that against someone else.”

Salmon, who has been dropped from third to sixth in the order, is trying not to be overwhelmed by his struggles.

“I never look at my numbers during the season--why, when I’m hitting .200, would I want to start?” Salmon said. “All that does is throw a bigger monkey on my back. I’ve got to insulate myself from as much of the negative and accentuate as much of the positive.”

Reliever Mike Holtz, sidelined since May 11 because of an inflamed left elbow, threw a bullpen workout in Camden Yards and then returned to Southern California, where he will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga Saturday. Holtz will throw an inning Saturday and Monday and will likely join the Angels Tuesday or Wednesday in Anaheim. . . . Designated hitter Glenallen Hill, out since April 21 because of a strained left oblique and a strained right hamstring, will probably begin a rehab assignment with Rancho Cucamonga this weekend.

ON DECK

Opponent--Tampa Bay Devil Rays, four games.

Site--Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Today--4:15 p.m.

TV--None.

Radio--KMXN (94.3 FM), KMPC (1540), XPRS (1090).

Records--Angels 20-25, Devil Rays 13-33.

2000 Record vs. Devil Rays--6-6.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

PAT RAPP

(1-4, 5.06 ERA)

vs.

DEVIL RAYS’

ALBIE LOPEZ

(3-4, 3.94 ERA)

Update--If there’s a perfect time for the Angels to gain ground on Seattle and break out of a season-long offensive funk, this would be it. The Devil Rays, who have lost a managing general partner (Vince Naimoli) and a manager (Larry Rothschild) this season, have baseball’s worst record, the league’s second-worst earned run average (5.41), and they haven’t won back-to-back games in a month. One of the few bright spots has been the play of veteran first baseman Fred McGriff, who is batting .319 with eight homers and 32 runs batted in. Former Angel Manager Terry Collins is Tampa Bay’s third-base coach.

Saturday, 1:15 p.m.--Jarrod Washburn (2-4, 5.11) vs. Paul Wilson (2-5, 6.62).

Sunday, 10:15 a.m.--Ismael Valdes (2-3, 4.50) vs. Bryan Rekar (0-6, 5.06).

Monday, 1:15 p.m.--Scott Schoeneweis (3-3, 4.48) vs. Brian Rose (0-2, 8.66).