Santana, Lackey to go Thursday, Saturday

Yet to throw a pitch for the Angels this season, Ervin Santana and John Lackey are officially set to return from the disabled list to the Angels starting rotation.

Santana will test a sprained right elbow against major league hitters for the first time when he starts today's series finale against the Boston Red Sox and Lackey (strained right forearm) will start Saturday at the Texas Rangers.

Opening-day starter Joe Saunders, originally scheduled to start Thursday, will instead face the Rangers on Friday, a move Angels manager Mike Scioscia preferred for multiple reasons.

"Just trying to get some length in between (Santana and Lackey) in case it takes them a while to stretch into their length," Scioscia said. "It serves two purposes because it gives Joe an extra day plus it helps separate two guys who maybe you wouldn't want to have to throw the extra 10 or 12 pitches."

After two minor-league rehabilitation starts each, neither Santana, who went 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA last season, nor Lackey, who was 12-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 2008, will be on a strict pitch count. Scioscia estimates the two will be able to throw up to 100 pitches.

"They're going to have enough pitches to pitch deep into a game," he said, "but they're certainly not going to get to the 105-, 110-pitch range this next outing but they could grow into that."