With Matt Thaiss and Jared Walsh not on the active roster and at the club’s alternate site in Long Beach, Tommy La Stella has become the backup first baseman to Albert Pujols in addition to his role as the club’s regular second baseman.

La Stella started at first base for the fourth time on Saturday against the Dodgers and could see more time there once shortstop Andrelton Simmons returns from his left ankle sprain, which could come as soon as early next week. It would allow the Angels to play David Fletcher at second base and still have La Stella in the lineup playing first base, as Fletcher will remain an everyday player when Simmons returns but will be a super-utility player.

It would come at the expense of Pujols, but the veteran slugger has struggled at the plate this season. La Stella had never started at first base before this year and Saturday marked just his eighth career appearance there.

“Tommy might not be as comfortable in the beginning, but he works to the point where he becomes more comfortable,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “I think that's where he's at right now, quite frankly. If you ask, it's probably not his favorite position, and I love the honesty, but he knows for sure that it would be important to us, and that's why he's doing it and actually I think he's done fine to this point.”

Pujols, 40, wasn't in the lineup on Saturday and is batting .186/.238/.356 with three homers and eight RBIs in 15 games this season. Maddon remains confident Pujols will get going, but it does appear that his at-bats could be reduced once Simmons returns.

“He and I have talked a lot,” Maddon said. “I mean he has struggled to this point. He’s had some pretty good games recently. I thought that even that last game against Oakland he kind of fouled straight back a couple balls, which I kinda like. But Albert is constantly working. We'll keep monitoring him, we'll keep working with him and just try to make our best decisions.”

Angels make roster move
Catcher Jason Castro was initially going to be in the lineup, but he was scratched with neck stiffness and Max Stassi started in his place. With Castro out, the Angels called up Anthony Bemboom to be their third catcher. Lefty reliever Ryan Buchter was optioned to their alternate training site in Long Beach. Castro’s injury isn’t considered serious, however, as Bemboom was brought up as insurance.

"He just had a little bit of a stiff neck,” Maddon said. “He's getting worked on right now. Hopefully he'll be able to participate. I had him in the lineup, but I had to take him out because of that.”

Teheran feels healthy, fine
Right-hander Julio Teheran missed the start of the season after contracting COVID-19 in late June, and he has struggled through his first two starts with a 13.50 ERA in 4 2/3 innings. He’ll face a stern test on Sunday against the Dodgers, as he is 0-6 with a 5.33 ERA in eight starts against them in his career. But he believes once he fixes his fastball command, he’ll be just fine.

“Physically I feel fine,” Teheran said. “My arm is just good as can be. Obviously there’s stuff that I’ve been working on, stuff that wasn’t there my first two starts. That’s all I can do, just work on that. I feel that’s something that I want to take for my next outing coming up. I feel fine. I’ve been working really hard. I feel like my first two starts I didn’t have the fastball command that I normally have. That’s something I’ve been working to get.”