Angels’ new reliever gets to fulfill dream

Steven Geltz’s dream moment came when his manager at triple-A Salt Lake, Keith Johnson, summoned him to the visiting manager’s office in Nashville.

“You gotta tighten it up and make a good impression on Scioscia,” Johnson said.

“My jaw dropped, tears were in my eyes,” Geltz recalled Saturday.

The 24-year-old right-hander, who struck out 60 batters in 51 2/3 innings at Salt Lake and double-A Arkansas, was promoted to replace middle reliever David Carpenter, who gave up two home runs in a loss at Oakland on Tuesday.

“He has the type of arm to hold leads … good out pitches, and his makeup is a plus,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said of Geltz.

Geltz, an undrafted free agent from the University of Buffalo, took the first first-class airline flight of his life on his way from Nashville to LAX. He said he has an aggressive “go-right-at-guys” style, throwing a fastball at about 93 mph and mixing in a split-finger fastball and slider.

Restricted area

Nine teams started Saturday within 9 1/2 games of Major League Baseball’s new second wild-card. That means pitchers a non-contender might typically make available are not appearing on waivers.

That hampers the Angels’ ability to land another reliever at a time they’re shorthanded with Scott Downs and Jordan Walden on the disabled list.

The team’s best hope is that Walden will return to the roster next week, with Downs to follow no later than the end of the month.

One positive recent development: After a horrible trip by the bullpen, relievers Hisanori Takahashi, Kevin Jepsen and Ernesto Frieri contributed 2 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts when the Angels beat the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Match race?

Did the mad dash Erick Aybar made to score from second base on a sacrifice fly to right field Friday qualify the Angels shortstop as a challenger to Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos as the team’s fastest player?

“Trout beats anyone in the league home to first, but long distance, I think Peter catches him,” Torii Hunter said.

Aybar?

“He’s going to be third no matter what race,” Hunter said.

Bourjos said a match with Trout “would be a good race, but I doubt it ever happens,” because of the potential for an injury.

“Those two guys are the fastest in the league,” Aybar said.

Short hops

Cleanup hitter Mark Trumbo didn’t start Saturday. Scioscia said he was giving Trumbo, who was mired in an eight-for-50 slump, “a day to catch his breath.”

Left fielder Vernon Wells, who was 0 for 16 with three strikeouts since returning from the disabled list, was given his first start since August 4, batting eighth.

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