Angels’ Brennan Boesch ditches No. 00 jersey, calls it a ‘distraction’

When outfielder Brennan Boesch rejoined the Angels on Tuesday, the No. 00 uniform hung in his locker.

He wanted no part of it.

“I was tired of media asking me about double zero,” he said. “I didn’t realize it was that much of a rarity. I don’t want to have to do an interview about it every time I go to a city.”

Boesch said there was no story behind No. 00, compelling or otherwise. He said the Angels assigned him the number in spring training, when he was a non-roster invitee.

“I embraced it,” he said. “Everybody else made it a way bigger deal. It became more of a distraction.”

Boesch, wearing his new No. 28, was in the Angels’ lineup against the Philadelphia Phillies as the designated hitter. He batted .326 with 22 home runs in 84 games at triple-A Salt Lake, and he led the Pacific Coast League with a .625 slugging percentage and 1.006 OPS. He recently reached base in 11 consecutive plate appearances.

Manager Mike Scioscia said the Angels are hoping for “a little bit of a spark” from Boesch, whom he said would split time with Efren Navarro and Collin Cowgill at DH.

The Angels are batting .223 and averaging 3.2 runs per game since the All-Star break, with both figures ranking last in the American League.

To clear a roster spot for Boesch, the Angels returned right-hander Caleb Clay to Salt Lake. Clay, 26, who has pitched seven minor league seasons without making a major league appearance, was promoted Sunday but did not pitch in his two days with the Angels.