Overworked Angels bullpen has already called for reinforcements

The Angels bullpen pitched 16 innings in the first four games of the season, less than only four other teams in baseball that have played four games or less. The unsustainable workload has already caused some shuffling of the roster.

In need of a fresh arm in the bullpen, the Angels recalled A.J. Achter from Triple-A on Saturday. Cam Bedrosian was sent down a day after his two wild pitches led to a Rangers run in Friday’s 7-3 loss to Texas.

Bedrosian, who has pitched two innings in four games, was likely just the odd man out, considering several Angels relievers can’t be sent down because they are out of options. Among those out of options is Cory Rasmus, a natural candidate to be sent to the minors after pitching 2 2/3 innings Friday courtesy of starter Matt Shoemaker’s abbreviated outing.

Achter posted impressive numbers in spring training, allowing just one earned run in 10 ⅔ innings.

His spring training performance was such that he expected to be given a chance to join the parent club at some point in 2016, but he didn’t imagine it would be the first week of the season.

“I think that’s the best I’ve felt in any of my spring trainings in my professional career,” Achter said. “I think I was able to command three pitches pretty successfully.”

Achter, 27, was a 46th-round draft pick by the Twins in 2010. He posted a 5.18 ERA in 18 major league appearances, all with the Twins over the last two seasons. The season is so young, he hadn’t yet made an appearance in Triple-A.

Achter said he’s particularly happy to be sharing a clubhouse with some of the Angels, considering half of the six career home runs he has allowed came against the team he is now a member of.

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