Competition for Angels’ fifth rotation spot heats up

Jerome Williams will begin his long-awaited quest to win the Angels’ fifth rotation spot Monday when the veteran right-hander, sidelined for more than three weeks because of a left hamstring strain, starts a triple-A game against the Oakland Athletics in Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Williams’ primary competition for the job, young right-hander Garrett Richards, will start the 1 p.m. major league game against the Colorado Rockies in Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Richards, the organization’s top pitching prospect, clearly has the edge--he is 3-0 with a 2.00 earned run average in three spring starts--but Manager Mike Scioscia said Williams still has time to win the job he earned late last season, when he went 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA in 10 games after an Aug. 17 promotion to the big leagues.

The Angels won’t need a fifth starter until April 15 in Yankee Stadium.

“He still has an opportunity to be in the mix for April 15,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He has to step up, not have any setbacks and pitch his game.”

Williams is scheduled to throw three innings and 45 pitches Monday. He will start another minor league game Saturday, with a target of four innings and 60 pitches, and he will be able to make two more starts in minor league regular-season games to stretch himself to the six-inning, 90-pitch range.

In other news, reliever Bobby Cassevah, slowed all spring by soreness from a shoulder tear, will resume throwing off a mound Monday, and outfielder Mike Trout, slowed all spring by a sore shoulder and viral infection, began a throwing program Monday.

Reliever Michael Kohn, who has allowed only three hits in five scoreless innings this spring, has been shut down for a couple of days because of a tender forearm.

The Angels lineup: SS Erick Aybar, 2B Howie Kendrick, 1B Albert Pujols, RF Torii Hunter, CF Vernon Wells, DH Kendrys Morales, LF Bobby Abreu, 3B Alberto Callaspo, C Chris Iannetta, P Garrett Richards.

The Rockies lineup: SS Marco Scutaro, CF Dexter Fowler, LF Carlos Gonzalez, DH Jason Giambi, 1B Michael Cuddyer, 3B Jordan Pacheco, C Wilin Rosario, RF Tyler Colvin, 2B Brandon Wood, P Drew Pomeranz.

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Competition for Angels’ fifth rotation spot heats up