Angels’ Garrett Richards gets nod over Jerome Williams

The “electric” stuff of 24-year-old Garrett Richards has won the confidence of Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who Saturday gave Richards Tuesday’s home start against the Kansas City Royals over slumping veteran Jerome Williams.

“I definitely get more confidence as I get more chances,” Richards said in the Angel Stadium tunnel between the clubhouse and dugout.

“I feel good about what I’m doing. I’m repeating my delivery, trusting my stuff.”

The Angels have won in five of Richards’ six starts. The 2009 first-round draft pick from Oklahoma pitched seven shutout innings Tuesday in Detroit, and Richards (3-1, 3.53 earned-run average) delivered eight shutout innings June 17 against Arizona.

“Garrett’s not a finished product,” Scioscia said, a nod to Richards giving up 12 combined earned runs in back-to-back starts against Toronto and Baltimore within the last month. “But he has an electric arm.”

Williams (6-7, 4.85) has struggled in five consecutive losses. The 30-year-old right-hander won his first five starts at home, but then suffered breathing problems in a June 18 home loss to his former team, the San Francisco Giants, and went to the disabled list.

In two road losses since, he’s given up 16 hits and 10 runs.

Now, he’s headed to the bullpen.

“Jerome has to get back in touch with stuff … his ball’s up and he’s hitting the plate on bad counts,” Scioscia said.

With the July 31 trade deadline looming and the Angels inspecting starting pitchers such as Tampa Bay’s James Shields, Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels and Milwaukee’s Zack Greinke, it’s uncertain how long Richards’ shelf life as the No. 5 starter will last.

Given the Saturday struggle of starter Ervin Santana, Richards may finish the season in the rotation.

“You never know,” Scioscia said. “You hope a guy takes it and runs with it. If you have to adjust down the road, you adjust.”

Trade distraction

With Texas starting left-hander Matt Harrison on Sunday, Peter Bourjos probably will again be employed in the Angels’ three-center-fielder outfield with Mike Trout in left, Bourjos in center and Torii Hunter in right.

“We don’t want anything to fall out there,” Bourjos said. “We’re center fielders, so our mind-set is, ‘Catch everything.’ We just have to make sure we don’t run into each other.”

Something else might blindside Bourjos: a trade.

With slugger Mark Trumbo’s comfort at the corner outfield spots, the speedy Bourjos has been mentioned as a candidate to help the Angels acquire a pitcher.

“I go through it every single year; it’s out of my hands,” Bourjos said. “Obviously, I want to play here, but going somewhere else could be a good thing too. It doesn’t matter to me. I feel as comfortable about this deadline than I ever have.

“This game is a business. There’s not much you can do about that except to accept it.”

Short hops

Shortstop Erick Aybar left the game after suffering a right big-toe bruise while fouling a ball off his foot in the seventh inning. … Outfielder Kole Calhoun was sent to triple-A Salt Lake after Saturday’s game in advance of Sunday’s activation of starting pitcher Dan Haren off the disabled list.

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