Woods Might Be Right for Bullpen

At this rate, Jake Woods might not have to win the last spot in the bullpen as much as survive a battle of attrition.

Among the other leading candidates, Matt Hensley has been sidelined because of a slightly torn labrum that could require surgery and Scott Dunn has been somewhat erratic in six spring outings.

That leaves Woods, a 23-year-old who could become the Angels’ first left-handed reliever since Scott Schoeneweis, who was traded in the middle of the 2003 season.

Woods has been a starter almost exclusively during his four minor league seasons, but he has excelled as a reliever this spring and said he would be more than willing to move to the bullpen on a permanent basis.

“Whatever it takes for me to get to that level, I’ll do,” said Woods, who gave up his first run of the spring Thursday at Tempe Diablo Stadium in his only inning during the Angels’ 5-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Woods, a finesse pitcher who relies on a curveball, changeup and a fastball that hovers in the 87- to 89-mph range, has given up one run in seven innings. He has struck out seven and walked two.

The Angels are confident in the ability of their relievers to retire left-handed batters regardless of whether the bullpen includes a left-handed pitcher. Left-handers batted .211 last season against Brendan Donnelly, .213 against Francisco Rodriguez, .235 against Scot Shields, .255 against Esteban Yan and .260 against Kevin Gregg. Yet in the 10th inning of Game 3 of the American League division series last year, the Angels dipped into their starting rotation for left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who gave up David Ortiz’s walk-off homer.

Manager Mike Scioscia said it was not “outside the realm of possibility” for Woods to be used in critical situations against left-handers if he made the club, though it probably would be on occasions when the more established relievers were unavailable.

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