TORONTO — Andrew Velazquez is trying to finish on a high note.

The Angels shortstop has been impressive with his glove, but for much of the season he’s struggled to produce anything at all with the bat. The Angels were forced to still play him because of the overall lack of depth.

Now, Velazquez is hitting again.

His homer on Saturday was his second in as many games, and it capped a 40 at-bat stretch in which he has hit .375 with a 1.025 OPS.

That’s brought his season average up to .201 with a .552 OPS, which are both still well below acceptable levels.

His recent performance, he said, is the result of a change in approach.

“I’d say I’m focused on being on top of the ball,” Velazquez said. “That results in more balls in play, so you get a little more cheap hits and then when you run into one, sometimes they go out.”

Although that seems to go against the modern “launch angle” approach, it seems to be working better for Velazquez than when he was approaching the ball more from below.

Manager Phil Nevin, who had Velazquez when he was the New York Yankees’ third base coach last season, said he believes one of the keys to his recent improved hitting is that Velazquez is actually playing less. Since David Fletcher returned from the injured list, the Angels have been able to give Velazquez more days off.

Now, Velazquez grudgingly admits that he has worn down from playing so much, and it’s something he wants to correct.

“Now seeing it, I kind of agree,” said Velazquez, who is listed at 5-feet-9, 170 pounds. “I think being fresh, especially at my stature and weight, that’s something to think about for next season. Maybe gain some weight, while maintaining my speed.”

THREE CATCHERS

Nevin said Matt Thaiss will be the catcher on Monday, which will be the sixth straight game in which the Angels start a different catcher than the previous game.

Nevin said he’s going to continuing rotating Max Stassi, Kurt Suzuki and Thaiss. He won’t necessarily keep pitcher-catcher combinations together, with the exception of keeping Stassi with Shohei Ohtani.

“I think they’re all really good,” Nevin said. “They take great pride in what their craft is. Their main focus is working with the pitcher that day. Offense is  a part of their game, sure, but they don’t take their at-bats on the field. You see that same care with Thaiss, working with Zuk and Stass side by side.”

Each of the three catchers has caught a shutout on this nine-game trip. Suzuki caught Patrick Sandoval’s complete game on Aug. 19 in Detroit. Thaiss worked with Reid Detmers and four relievers on Friday, and Stassi handled Ohtani and Jimmy Herget on Saturday.

NOTES

Nevin said the Angels are still determining when Ohtani will make his next start. If they keep him pitching every sixth day, he would start on Friday at home against the Houston Astros. They could also give him an extra day because the team has an off day on Thursday, which would push Ohtani’s start to Saturday …

The Angels have scheduled Mike Mayers for a second consecutive start on Tuesday against the Yankees. Mayers had not made a traditional start — excluding games as an opener — in six years before he pitched five scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday …

By winning the first two games of the series in Toronto, the Angels clinched their first road series win against a team with a winning record since they took two of three in Houston, April 18-20.

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP José Suarez, 4-6, 4.19) vs. Yankees (RHP Frankie Montas, 4-10, 3.84), Monday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM