Matt Shoemaker/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Angels

Angels manager Mike Scioscia on Wednesday said right-hander Matt Shoemaker will pitch out of the bullpen for the next week, the biggest reason being that the Angels have off days Thursday and Monday and they won’t need all five starters.

“He can help us in the pen, he has at times before,” Scioscia said, alluding to 2014. “Wouldn’t be a bad thing for him because he could help us in the pen, also get a couple of bullpens in to keep refining his release point, get his pitches down in the zone more. I think for the whole rotation, this is the best way to go about it without disrupting five guys.”

Shoemaker is 3-4 with an ERA of 5.08 in 10 starts, but he has been much better of late, having lowered his ERA from 6.61 on May 9. He was 16-4 with an ERA of 3.04 in ’14.