Minor league pitchers get the call

The Angels planned to call up a position player to replace Vladimir Guerrero, who was put on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a torn right pectoral muscle.

But when starter Dustin Moseley lasted only three innings Friday night -- forcing the Angels to exhaust much of their bullpen -- and went on the disabled list Saturday because of elbow tightness, the team had little choice but to reinforce its relief corps.

Reliever Daniel Davidson, a left-hander converted to a submarine-style thrower after last season, and right-hander Rich Thompson were called up from triple-A Salt Lake, giving the Angels 13 pitchers.

Thompson, who was 1-0 with a 4.50 earned-run average, joined the team before Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Twins. Davidson, who gave up no runs and three hits in 3 1/3 innings over three games, was scheduled to arrive during the game.

The Angels are down to three healthy starters -- Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver and Shane Loux. Reliever Darren Oliver, pressed into starting duty Saturday because of the death of Nick Adenhart, will remain in the rotation for another start or two.

The Angels are off Monday, so they won’t need a fifth starter until Saturday.

“On the mound, the whole organization is stretched to the limit,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “But hopefully, there’s some good news on the horizon.”

Scioscia was alluding to the injured John Lackey and Ervin Santana, both of whom stepped up their bullpen workouts Saturday and could begin rehabilitation assignments later this week.

He did not appear to be alluding to the possible addition of a pitcher through trade or free agency. Pedro Martinez and Paul Byrd remain available, but Scioscia hedged when asked whether it was time the Angels looked outside the organization for pitching help.

“If Lackey and Santana were out for the season, it puts you in a different mind-set,” Scioscia said. “It’s a little rough right now, but we have some arms. Some are throwing well, some are struggling, but we have the makings of a good rotation and a bullpen that can close games out. There are solutions in-house.”

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Rehab report

Lackey, sidelined by a forearm strain, threw 15 warmup pitches and a two-inning, 30-pitch simulated game, his second bullpen session.

“It was definitely a step up as far as stuff -- I threw all my pitches -- and there was a little more velocity than last time,” Lackey said. “I feel good.”

Santana threw all of his pitches during a 46-pitch workout and will throw a simulated game Tuesday. He and Lackey will begin rehab assignments in Arizona, where their pitch counts can be controlled in extended spring-training games.

Kelvim Escobar, who two weeks ago suffered a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery, played catch for the second straight day and hopes to throw off a mound this week.

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Short-term loss

Moseley’s injury does not appear serious. But it was clear the right-hander was going to sit out at least one start, and the Angels can’t absorb a 10-day absence from any pitcher, so they put Moseley on the disabled list and put him on anti-inflammatory medication.

“The nerve from my surgery is OK, it’s just tight,” said Moseley, who had surgery to reattach his ulna nerve after the 2007 season. “The doctor thought there were some spasms around the nerve, which could be causing the sensations I’ve been feeling.”

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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ANGELS TODAY

AT MINNESOTA

Time: 11 a.m. PDT.

Where: Metrodome, Minneapolis.

On the air: TV: Channel 13; Radio: 830, 980, 1330.

Pitchers: Shane Loux vs. Glen Perkins.

Update: Loux struggled a bit with his control but otherwise pitched well in his 2009 debut, giving up two earned runs and five hits, walking three and striking out two in 5 1/3 innings against Seattle on Tuesday. The Mariners won in 10 innings. The Angels were 33-16 against left-handed starters last season but did not fare well against Perkins, who threw eight innings in a 9-0 victory over the Angels on Aug. 22. Perkins was a first-round pick in 2004.

-- Mike DiGiovanna