Worth noting

• Erick Aybar returned to the Angels on Thursday, two days after winning the World Baseball Classic championship with his native Dominican Republic. Aybar batted second against Rangers starter Derek Lowe, with the hot-hitting Howie Kendrick batting sixth and Alberto Callaspo in the No. 7 spot. Non-roster reliever Fernando Cabrera, whose Puerto Rico team lost to the Dominicans in the final, is expected to pitch on Friday.

• Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen, who hasn't appeared in a game since March 9 because of tightness in his right triceps, came out of his Wednesday bullpen session feeling fine and is likely to get back into game action on Friday.

• Newly signed catcher Chris Snyder, competing for the backup spot, caught Weaver's intrasquad game on Thursday and threw out two of four would-be basestealers. In the night game against the Rangers, Hank Conger picked off a runner at third base and threw accurately to second on a successful stolen base. He also homered and hit a two-run triple.