Felix Hernandez may have Los Angeles Angels figured out, but Mike Trout has his number

As reporters approached Felix Hernandez after Monday night’s game, the Seattle ace said in a mocking tone, “I don’t want to answer any questions about Mike Trout.”

The right-hander was as effective in sticking to his proclamation as he has been in avoiding the barrel of the Angels slugger’s bat.

Hernandez has been one of baseball’s best pitchers for more than a decade and has owned the Angels since 2013, going 10-4 with a 2.22 earned-run average in 20 starts against them. In Monday’s 3-2 Mariners victory, he gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings.

But he has not solved Trout, who walked twice and homered Monday and in his career against Fernandez is batting .382 with seven homers, 19 runs batted in and a 1.187 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

No player with 50 at-bats against Hernandez has a higher average or more homers. Only David Murphy, with 20, has more RBIs.

Hernandez struck out six consecutive batters Monday before Trout lined a 446-foot solo shot to center field in the fifth inning.

“I tried to strike out Trout and left that pitch right there,” Hernandez said. “And he hit it out of the park. That’s why he’s my nightmare. He’s got my number. You have to tip your hat to him. Man … he’s just Mike Trout.”

Trout chuckled when told Hernandez called him his “nightmare.” The two have become good friends, so much so that Hernandez playfully chided Trout as he rounded the bases Monday.

“He said, ‘C’mon, what are you doing?’ ” Trout said. “It’s a fun battle every time. He’s one of the best in the league, and he gets me a lot of times too.”

This is true. Trout has struck out 24 times against Hernandez, but those seem to get lost in the red glare of the rockets he hits against Hernandez.

“Seeing him so much, you know what his pitches are going to,” Trout said, “but it’s still tough, because his changeup is unbelievable.”

It takes a thief

Tyler Skaggs on Wednesday against the Mariners will get a chance to put into use former Angels pitcher and current radio broadcaster Mark Langston’s advice about pitching from the stretch and holding runners on.

Langston was on the field Monday working with the left-hander, who was on the mound for all but one of the Cleveland Indians’ eight stolen bases last Friday.

“You want to be quick to the plate, but you don’t want to be so quick you leave balls up,” Skaggs said. “You want to show you can pick a guy off, that you have a good move, but at the same time, you can’t be too focused on the runner. So it’s a fine line.

“Mark helped with the little things, like keeping your head on the runner, varying your looks, maybe side-arming a ball over to keep him close.”

Short hops

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons was scratched after receiving permission to tend to a personal matter Tuesday afternoon, and catcher Geovany Soto was scratched because of right-knee inflammation. … Tim Lincecum struggled with command of his fastball Monday against Round Rock in his first start since his demotion to Triple A, giving up four runs and four hits, including homers by Joey Gallo and Ryan Rua. Lincecum, 2-6 with a 9.16 ERA in nine starts for the Angels, walked the leadoff man three times. “His mechanical issues can’t be fixed in one day,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna

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