ANAHEIM -- One day after holding the Astros to one run over seven innings and outdueling Gerrit Cole, rookie Jaime Barria found himself on the way back to Triple-A Salt Lake, a casualty of strategic roster management by the Angels.
The Angels optioned Barria and recalled Eduardo Paredes on Wednesday, adding an extra reliever to their bullpen mix ahead of their series finale against the Astros. Barria, a 21-year-old right-hander, has been a revelation this season, logging a 2.13 ERA over 25 1/3 innings in five MLB starts, but with an off-day on Monday, the Angels won't need a sixth starter until May 26, so they opted to carry an eight-man bullpen in the meantime.
"It's tough," manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't think anyone, when they're performing well, expects it, but there's a difference of getting to the big leagues and then making footprints in the big leagues. Right now, Jaime is obviously starting to make footprints, but he's not quite there yet. I think there's a lot of things that are out of his control right now. He understands it."
Barring an injury, Barria must spend at least 10 days in the Minors before he's eligible to return to the Angels. Scioscia said the right-hander will likely make at least one start for Salt Lake, though it will be an abbreviated outing, as the Angels want to be careful with his workload.
"He'll get some work in," Scioscia said. "I'm sure he'll start. How far along that will be, we'll see. We definitely want to try to preserve some pitches on some of the young arms who are hopefully going to be with us for a long time. Not only this season, but in the future."
Paredes, 23, has allowed seven runs in 6 1/3 innings (9.95 ERA) in five appearances for the Angels in 2018. He's recorded a 1.59 ERA over 11 1/3 innings in nine appearances for Salt Lake.
Trout, Ohtani back at the top
Zack Cozart returned to the lineup on Wednesday, but he did not reclaim his spot at the top of the batting order, as the Angels opted to go with the 1-2 punch of Michael Trout and Shohei Ohtani for the second consecutive game. Scioscia said he doesn't expect that lineup shuffle to be permanent, as the Angels would ideally like to have Cozart or Ian Kinsler stick in the leadoff spot to give Trout more opportunities to hit with runners on base.
Cozart began the day batting .235 with a .299 on-base percentage, while Kinsler is hitting .209 with a .292 on-base percentage.
"Mike Trout, he's the guy who you want to set the table for, and the guy that's going to set the table for guys, too," Scioscia said. "Both have to be in place. There's no doubt that him hitting second or him hitting third totally solves the problem of getting guys on base for him. Him hitting first, getting on base, gives a deeper look to what he can do to score a run. I think there is a balance there, I think we definitely, in the big picture, see him hitting second or third. I think that's going to be where he's going to settle."
Worth noting
• Reliever Blake Wood is scheduled to make his second rehab appearance with Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Thursday. Wood has been sidelined with a right elbow impingement since April 23.