ANAHEIM — Kevan Smith cringes whenever he hears another player use lack of playing time to explain poor production.

“It’s a pet peeve of mine,” the Angels’ backup catcher said. “You’ve still got to find a way to get it done. Whether you’re seeing higher velocities off a pitching machine or doing extra things on the side, when it’s your turn to play, you’ve got to turn it on and figure out a way to get it done.”

In his third full season in the majors, Smith is once again showing that it’s possible to be productive, even when not playing much.

“I think he’s done a very nice job, actually,” Manager Brad Ausmus said. “With sporadic playing time, he’s been swinging the bat well. He takes a lot of pride in working with the pitchers. He’s done an excellent job. I certainly can’t complain.”

Smith is hitting .300 with a .408 on-base percentage and a .450 slugging percentage in 71 plate appearances, heading into Monday’s game. He has about half the plate appearances of starter Jonathan Lucroy.

“People say ‘You’re really doing well for the little at-bats you have,’” Smith said. “That’s my goal. That’s what I want to do. I don’t want not many at-bats to be an excuse for how you perform.”

Smith said in order to stay sharp he regularly takes batting practice against a machine throwing at game speed.

“I always love seeing velo,” Smith said. “Flips and batting practice and stuff, you can get away with a lot of things. When you are seeing things at high velocities, that will expose you really fast. … Everybody should be crushing in BP. It’s got to transition to the game.”

Smith also works hard on his defense when he’s not playing. Although most big league catchers rarely set foot in the bullpen other than when they are warming up that night’s starting pitcher, Smith said he goes down there often. He will catch bullpen sessions or sometimes even warm up a pitcher who is going to come into a game. It’s how he keeps current with relievers who he might not have the chance to catch regularly in a game.

Occasionally, Smith gets caught having to run in from the bullpen during the game if he’s needed to play.

It’s all part of keeping both sides of his game sharp so he can produce when the Angels need him.

“There’s no shame in being a backup catcher,” the 30-year-old Smith said. “As long as I’m in the big leagues and doing well, just keep on keeping on. … It’s awesome to make the big leagues, but the trick is staying.”

HEANEY UPDATE

Andrew Heaney threw 4-1/3 scoreless innings, striking out 10 and allowing two hits, on Monday night for Triple-A Salt Lake. Heaney threw 73 pitches. It could be the final step in his rehab from elbow inflammation that cost him the first two months of the season.

The Angels have not announced a starter for Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium, so it’s possible that Heaney could be inserted into the rotation then.

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Angels get an optimistic glimpse of the future in win over Padres Griffin Canning and Tyler Skaggs are scheduled for the first two games of the weekend series, following Trevor Cahill and Matt Harvey in the final two games against the Twins.

ALSO

JC Ramírez, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, threw 26 pitches over two innings in an extended spring training game on Monday in Arizona. The Angels are going to build Ramírez up to about 60 pitches and then decide if he’ll join the team as a reliever, or continue to work up to about 90 to be a starter. …

Luís García, on the injured list with a back injury, threw a bullpen session with fastballs only on Sunday, and he’s scheduled for another with all his pitches on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Trevor Cahill, 2-4, 6.95) vs. Twins (RHP Michael Piñeda 3-3, 5.55), Tuesday, 7 p.m., Fox Sports West