Saunders to start for Weaver

John Lackey isn’t the only Angels pitcher whose right shoulder isn’t quite right. Jered Weaver, who jammed his throwing shoulder sliding into second base at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, has felt some discomfort for several days and has been scratched from Friday night’s game against Pittsburgh.

Left-hander Joe Saunders was called up from triple-A Salt Lake after Wednesday’s game, and the left-hander, who is 3-0 with a 2.22 earned-run average in four starts for the Angels this season, will start Friday night.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Weaver’s next start would be pushed back to next week. Kelvim Escobar will start Saturday on regular rest, but Lackey, who has been bothered by shoulder tightness in his last two starts, might not make his scheduled start Sunday. Bartolo Colon, who pitched Tuesday, would be in line to replace Lackey.

“Weaver jolted his shoulder, and [the pain] has subsided in the last few days,” Scioscia said. “There’s no better time to do some juggling with [today’s] off day and off days [June 28 and July 2]. If guys are fatigued, we can give them a chance to get their second wind.”

Weaver, who remained in Saturday’s game after his third-inning injury and threw 5 1/3 shutout innings, was unable to throw his normal between-starts bullpen session this week but has been playing catch.

“I’m trying to take it easy, stretch it out,” Weaver said. “It’s starting to work itself out.”

Lackey, who was rocked for six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Astros on Monday, prides himself on not missing a start in five big league seasons, and he admits that’s in the back of his mind as Sunday approaches.

“But I don’t want it to get out of hand,” he said. “I want to be there at the end of the season, when it counts. I think I can pitch Sunday, but some people around here want to be cautious.”

The Angels will make a move to clear room for Saunders on the 25-man roster today or Friday.

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Scioscia spoke on the phone Wednesday with Justin Speier, the reliever who has been out since May 1 because of an intestinal infection, and said the right-hander was “very upbeat” as he continued workouts in Arizona. Speier suffered a setback in early June and had to abort his minor league rehabilitation assignment.

“He feels he’s getting over the hump, and he’s continuing to work into his stamina,” Scioscia said. “We’re very encouraged at his progress, but he most likely won’t return until after the All-Star break.”

First baseman Casey Kotchman, who hasn’t played since suffering a mild concussion Saturday, said his headaches have subsided, and he rode an exercise bike for the first time Wednesday. He was expected to take batting and infield practice Friday before returning to play Saturday or Sunday.

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Astros reliever Chad Qualls was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount by the commissioner’s office Wednesday for heaving a baseball into the upper deck of Angel Stadium in frustration at the end of the Angels’ five-run seventh inning Monday night. The right-hander appealed the suspension and was available to pitch Wednesday.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com