One of the top pitching prospects in baseball will make his major-league debut on Thursday night.
Nick Adenhart, the 21-year-old right-hander who is the Angels' top pitching prospect, will make his debut against the A's on three days rest.
Adenhart, who was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake after Wednesday night's game, is 4-0 with an 0.87 ERA in five minor-league starts. He pitched Sunday, throwing 98 pitches in eight innings.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Adenhart, who underwent reconstructive elbow surgery as a high school senior in 2004, would probably make three starts in place of Dustin Moseley, who returned to the bullpen this week.
Adenhart has struggled with his control, walking 15 and striking out 19 in 31 innings. He has not given up a home run.
He will be opposed by Justin Duchscherer (1-1, 2.70), who allowed two runs and six hits in five innings of a 5-3 loss to Seattle on Saturday. The A's have not scored an earned run since a 14-2 victory in the series opener on Monday.
Oakland is -113 on the money line at WagerWeb.com, with the Angels listed at -107 (over/under: 9 runs).
Moseley said he was in "no way" satisfied with his performance and described his reaction as "not frustration, but a little bit of disappointment."
He went 1-2 with a 7.30 ERA in five starts, then pitched the final two innings in Monday's 14-2 loss.
Angels ace John Lackey, meanwhile, is scheduled to make two more rehabilitation starts before rejoining the Angels on May 14.BRAVES: Could John Smoltz be returning to his closer role?
With his arm giving him problems, that's a very good possibility. The team's ace has even allowed himself to accept the fact that he might never make another major-league start.
"I'm coming back as a reliever first and then we'll see what happens," Smoltz said. "I'm content with this."
Smoltz went on the 15-day DL on Wednesday with biceps tendinitis, a problem that has plagued him for more than a year but really flared up in spring training.
If Smoltz does come back as a closer, he'll be returning to a role that he dominated from 2001-2004. During that span, he notched a franchise-record 154 saves in 168 opportunities.
Braves manager Bobby Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell indicated they were going to wait at least a few days before seriously beginning to think about putting Smoltz back in the bullpen.
CUBS: Alfsono Soriano returns to left field for the Cubs on Thursday for the first time since April 15 and will be back at the top of order in the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
"He gives us power," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday. "He's a star player. We have three legitimate home run hitters in our lineup, and he's one of the three. Let's hope he comes back nice and healthy. He can carry us."
Soriano was injured when he jumped up to catch Ken Griffey Jr.'s fly ball and end the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds. At the time of his injury, Soriano was batting .175 in 13 games with one double, two homers and five RBIs.
The Cubs are -143 money line betting favorites on WagerWeb.com for Thursday's game.
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