ANAHEIM — Perhaps this three-game series vs. the Los Angeles Angels will be helpful for Nelson Cruz and his 20-game homerless streak. He’s hit 38 career homers against them in his career, only Adrian Beltre has hit more. Cruz has also belted 17 homers at Angels Stadium.

The Mariners could certainly use it from their designated hitter, whose last home run came on June 4 against the Rays at Safeco Field. In the games that have followed, every other position player on the Mariners’ 25-man roster has hit a home run, including back-up catcher Carlos Ruiz and two from Jarrod Dyson.

“I haven’t been thinking about it at all,” Cruz deadpanned before chuckling. “Yeah, you can’t help but think about it. My job is to drive in runs and hit homers. And if I don’t get homers but I’m still driving in runs, I’m happy with that. But at the same time, it feels like I can only drive in runs with runners on and that’s not the only way you want to drive in runs. You want to hit homers too. It’s my job.”

In analyzing his homer drought, Cruz found no definitive answers.

“I have no reasons as to why,” he said. “It’s part of the game. And I don’t remember the last time I was in that situation. But I keep doing my routines and I trust what I do on daily basis and sooner or later they are going to come.”

Cruz is hitting .257 with six doubles, 14 RBI over his homerless span. He has hit several balls hard that were either at players or not high enough to carry over the wall.

“I don’t know the exact reason,” he said. “I have to hit them harder and elevate them.”

But health is a possible reason. Cruz admitted he hadn’t been feeling well, but wouldn’t specify about any injury. He rarely wants to discuss injuries as an excuse. He said he’s healthy now, but …

“A few weeks ago, I was off and didn’t feel as strong as normal,” he said. “It wasn’t there. The last week, I’ve felt better.”

Manager Scott Servais could see that Cruz’s approach at the plate and pitch selection also wasn’t healthy.

“With his at-bats, he’s been maybe chasing some pitches that he typically doesn’t. He needs to work himself into better hitting counts. There hasn’t been a ton of 2-0, 3-1 counts, where you put the pitcher on edge and he has to be so fine because it is Nelson Cruz at the plate. He hasn’t been in a lot of those counts. Hopefully it will turn in his favor.”

Servais believes Cruz’s production will come. He’s hit 40 or more homers the last three seasons and doesn’t see significant dropoff coming.

“All the big sluggers, they come in bunches,” he said. “He can go out and hit five or six in a week and it does typically happen that way with those types of guys.”

Rotation rotating

With an off day on coming into the weekend, Servais adjusted his rotation going into the Angels’ series, bumping up left-hander Ariel Miranda to Friday night’s start and moving right-hander Sam Gaviglio back a day to Saturday. Servais did it not to have two lefties — Miranda and James Paxton — starting on back-to-back days.

“Being a right-handed part of a platoon for the greater part of my career, I thought it was a big advantage if I got a couple days in a row,” Servais said. “It doesn’t always happen with different series and stuff, but I just thought we’d take a look at splitting them up.”

Servais also confirmed that right-hander Andrew Moore will be called up from Class AAA Tacoma and start Monday’s opener to the homestand against the Royals. Felix Hernandez will have his start pushed back to Tuesday for an extra day of rest.

“That was the plan,” Servais said. “That’s where were headed. We need another starter and he did a very nice job the last time he was here.”

Moore pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts to get the win in his big league debut. With two off days in a week and no immediate need for a fifth starter, the Mariners optioned Moore back to Tacoma to make one start and then rejoin the rotation. The Mariners wanted to keep Moore on normal rest and also dial him back in a start. He threw just five innings and 73 pitches on Tuesday for the Rainiers.

“We were going to limit him and it was by design,” Servais said. “He had gone over 100 in back-to-back games. I’m really conscious of young starters in three start increments and trying to pull back on that third one if you can.”