Angels sign veteran right-hander Mark Lowe for bullpen help

TEMPE, Ariz. — Veteran reliever Mark Lowe, released by the pitching-deep Dodgers over the weekend, signed a minor league contract with the Angels on Wednesday, and it appears likely he will make the club.

“He has a power arm, and if he throws to his capabilities, there’s no doubt he can help us in our bullpen,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “What role remains to be seen, but we’ll get a look at him in the Freeway Series and see if his talent shows up, because he has a terrific arm.”

Lowe, 29, has a 3.94 career earned run average in seven seasons, including a 3.43 ERA in 36 games with the Texas Rangers last season, but with the Dodgers pushing several of their excess starters to the bullpen, there was no room for Lowe in Los Angeles.

With a fastball that sits in the 95-mph range and a good changeup and breaking ball, Lowe appears to be a better option than right-hander David Carpenter and left-hander Mitch Stetter, who were fighting for the last spot in a bullpen that has performed poorly this spring.

“His stuff looks every bit of what he’s had over the last three or four years,” Scioscia said. “I think he was in a situation where the Dodgers were getting backed up with some guys that are getting pushed to their bullpen.”

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