Angels-Tigers preview

DETROIT -- Change is coming to the Los Angeles Angels.

Starting Saturday.

Los Angeles Manager Mike Scioscia swapped right-hander Jhoulys Chacin out of the rotation for Saturday's start against the Detroit Tigers and switched him with left-hander Brett Oberholtzer.

"We're going to take a look at Obie and we've got some other guys we're going to take a look at as we take the turn into September," Scioscia said.

Scioscia wouldn't be pinned down as to exactly who those "other guys" might be, but Los Angeles is thin on minor league talent so any pitcher with a ceiling higher than your head is likely to be considered.

Whether the youngster is on the 40-man roster will be a consideration, as will readiness for the majors. Sometimes a manager wants a young pitcher who isn't ready to get a taste of what he needs to do to be successful in the majors, or get used to the atmosphere for his next try.

Chacin boasts a 2.55 ERA in relief.

"He did have a good start against the Yankees but in the broad picture of how he's pitched this year I think that coming out of the pen is somewhere where he's performed better and done a good job for us," Scioscia said.

Oberholtzer (3-2, 5.27 ERA overall; 1-0, 9.00 with Los Angeles) makes his first start of the season and fourth appearance for Los Angeles. He has only faced Detroit twice in his career, going 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA.

"Hopefully he can settle in and do what we project he can do as a starter," Scioscia said. "He's got really good command, he changes speeds well. We definitely want to give him a look.

"He's obviously not stretched out to the 75 or 90-pitch range. But he should be hopefully enough to get to a point of the game where we can still manage it. And we feel that'll happen."

Rookie flash Michael Fulmer (10-4, 2.58 ERA) makes his 21st start for Detroit, with six days between games as Detroit took advantage of a day off to push him back and keep his innings count what it feels is reasonable.

"We're going to try and push Fulmer (back) again," manager Brad Ausmus of Detroit said, noting the Tigers are off Thursday. "I'm not sure exactly how far. We'll use the off-day to his advantage, although he won't agree with it, but we think it's to his advantage."

Fulmer beat the Angels in his only start against them in Anaheim on June 1, tossing 7 2/3 innings of two-hit shutout ball. This will be only his seventh start at Comerica Park.

Detroit ran its winning streak to five games Friday night with a 4-2 victory over the visiting Angels.

Justin Upton smacked his fourth home run of the week -- good for 11 RBI. The run coincides with a three-day break in which he worked on changes to his swing.

"You get three days off it's a mental reset, but it allows him the time to work on some things," Ausmus said. "I know exactly what they were working on, and you can see it. Hopefully it continues.

"His history shows that he's capable of going on tears like this. Quite frankly I hope he goes on a prolonged tear for five weeks, even longer if necessary."