Willits is the one on the spot

Reggie Willits joined the Angels on Saturday after a roster move that will forever link the outfielder with Nick Adenhart, the 22-year-old pitcher who was killed in a traffic accident early Thursday.

Though Willits is not replacing Adenhart in the rotation -- that task probably will fall on the shoulders of triple-A right-hander Anthony Ortega, who is expected to be called up later this week -- Willits couldn’t help but feel a little guilt.

“I don’t feel like I’m replacing Nick -- I don’t think anyone is going to replace him,” Willits said. “But I remember telling my wife, I really hope it’s not me, because of how hard this is.

“I know the organization has to move on, but it’s only been a couple of days. We not only lost a teammate, we lost a friend, and the world lost a pretty good guy with a bright future ahead of him.”

Asked how he felt about the circumstances surrounding his recall from triple-A Salt Lake late Friday night, tears began to well in Willits’ eyes.

“It’s very difficult, very difficult,” Willits said. “He was a good friend, a great guy. This is very hard. . . . It hit us hard in Salt Lake. I can only imagine what it was like here, with Nick’s family.”

Manager Mike Scioscia said Willits can’t approach his recall as if he’s trying to replace Adenhart.

“It’s a tough situation, Reggie got the call now, but there are a lot of moves that are made all season long,” Scioscia said. “Nobody wants to get the call to the big leagues under these circumstances, but Reggie is here, he has a role to play, and that’s what it is.”

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Rehab report

John Lackey, on the disabled list because of a forearm strain, has already progressed in his long-toss program to 120 feet, and Scioscia said the ace right-hander “feels great.”

Ervin Santana, sidelined by an elbow ligament sprain, has completed the long-toss portion of his program and will begin throwing off a mound “in a couple of days,” Scioscia said.

Kelvim Escobar, who suffered a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery when he experienced tightness and inflammation in the shoulder last week, began playing catch Friday and should throw a bullpen session today or Monday. He could pitch in a minor league game by the end of the week.

The Angels hoped all three pitchers would join the rotation by the end of April, but Scioscia pegged their return to early May.

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Case closed

After retiring J.D. Drew to end the eighth inning Friday night, setup man Scot Shields remained in the game to pitch the ninth, earning the save in a 6-3 win over the Red Sox.

That left some to wonder whether the Angels have a little closer controversy on their hands or if left-hander Brian Fuentes is OK.

But Scioscia said Saturday that Fuentes “is still the closer,” and that he left Shields in because the right-hander needed only two pitches to retire Drew in the eighth.

“If we can save some arms at the back of the bullpen,” Scioscia said, “we’re going to take advantage of it.”

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Short hops

Ortega, the likely rotation replacement for Adenhart, gave up one run and four hits in five innings of Salt Lake’s season-opening win over Reno on Friday night. The right-hander, slowed by a forearm injury in spring training, threw 67 pitches. . . . Though Darren Oliver was a starter earlier in his career, Scioscia said there are no plans to move the veteran left-hander from the bullpen to the rotation to replace Adenhart.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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ANGELS TODAY

VS. BOSTON

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Where: Angel Stadium.

On the air: TV: Channel 13; Radio: 830, 980, 1330.

Pitchers: Dustin Moseley vs. Josh Beckett.

Update: It will be an emotional day for Moseley, who will be making his first start since the death of fellow pitcher Nick Adenhart. “I’m not sure how I’m going to feel,” said Moseley, one of Adenhart’s closest friends on the team, “but I know I’m going to compete as hard as I ever have, because I’m still living out this dream of mine.” The right-hander gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings of his first start, a no-decision against Oakland on Tuesday night. Beckett gave up one run and two hits and struck out 10 in seven innings of Boston’s season-opening 5-3 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The right-hander has a 2-2 career record and 3.99 ERA in six starts against the Angels.

-- Mike DiGiovanna