Escobar Might Return Tuesday

The Angels will not determine whether Kelvim Escobar, on the disabled list because of a sprained right elbow, will return to the rotation Tuesday night against Seattle until the right-hander throws in the bullpen today.

If Escobar’s pitches are crisp, and if the Angels are confident he could reach the 85-pitch range in his next start, Manager Mike Scioscia said Escobar would pitch Tuesday in Anaheim. If not, Escobar would make one more minor league start and probably return to the Angels on April 24.

“I feel ready, but whatever they think is best, I’m going to do it,” said Escobar, who gave up one hit and struck out seven in a 58-pitch, three-inning start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga at Modesto on Thursday night.

“I threw all my pitches and got stronger in the third inning. When [the manager] came to take me out, I asked how many pitches I had thrown, and he said 58. I was surprised because I wasn’t fatigued. I could have thrown more.”

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Two thoughts from the Angel clubhouse on the incident involving Yankee right fielder Gary Sheffield and the Red Sox fan in Fenway Park on Thursday night.

Catcher Josh Paul: “I thought Sheffield did a great job of restraining himself. After initially trying to shove the guy and throwing the ball in, he stood there and nothing happened. His fist was cocked, but he didn’t fire it. That’s all that mattered.”

Reliever Brendan Donnelly: “If the fan actually hit [Sheffield], and I couldn’t tell watching the replays, then I think he held his composure well. If the fan didn’t hit him, Sheffield may have overreacted a bit.”

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Third baseman Dallas McPherson, rehabilitating from a herniated disk in his lower back, has played seven games for triple-A Salt Lake, batting .280 (seven for 25) with one home run and six runs batted in and looking comfortable on defense.

There appears to be a good chance McPherson will join the Angels on Monday. “There’s no timetable on it right now, but he’s coming quickly,” Scioscia said.

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Cathleen Carey, who spent the majority of her 30-year major league career with the Angels and was an assistant to four general managers, including Bill Bavasi, died Friday morning after a lengthy and private fight with cancer. She was 58. Funeral services are pending.

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ANGELS TODAY

ANGELS’ JARROD WASHBURN

vs.

ATHLETICS’ RICH HARDEN

McAfee Coliseum, 1 p.m.

TV -- FSN West. Radio -- 710, 1020.

Update -- Barry Zito is considered the ace of the A’s rotation, but many scouts believe Harden, the right-hander who mixes a 96-mph fastball with a drop-off-the-table split-fingered fastball, is the best pitcher on the Oakland staff. Harden has a 9-2 record and 3.40 ERA since the All-Star break last season. Washburn threw six shutout innings in his first start against Texas April 6 but was rocked for six runs on 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings of his second start, against the Rangers Monday.

-- Mike DiGiovanna