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The Oakland Athletics activated reliever Liam Hendriks from the disabled list on Sunday, optioning Saturday starter Andrew Triggs to Triple-A Nashville. Hendriks was on the DL with a right triceps strain, and he last pitched for the major league club on May 7.
It’s been a weird 2016 for Hendriks, who holds a 2.77 FIP but 8.27 ERA in 11 relief appearances, well off the 2.92 ERA he enjoyed in his first full season in relief for the Blue Jays in 2015. Hopefully the resolution of the injury will enable Hendriks to get the results he should get as someone who has struck out 19 and walked just one while allowing two home runs.
Hendriks made four minor league rehab appearances between June 7 and 16, striking out four and walking two while allowing no home runs. He gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Andrew Triggs started for the A’s on Saturday, the second professional start of his career. He allowed a solo home run on his 50th pitch to Mike Trout to lead off the fourth inning before he was relieved.
The A’s will next need a fifth starter on Saturday in Anaheim. There was some hope that Henderson Alvarez would return to the rotation, but his Triple-A rehab start was cut short, tweets Nashville Sounds announcer Jeff Hem:
No word on what the issue was for Henderson Alvarez. Came out to warm up for 4th inning and left with trainer. 49 pitches, 37 strikes.
— Jeff Hem (@JeffHemPBP) June 19, 2016
Rich Hill still needs to make a rehab start to return to the rotation. At this point, Jesse Hahn seems to be the default option to be recalled to join Sonny Gray, Daniel Mengden, Kendall Graveman, and Eric Surkamp. For now, the A’s are rolling with nine relievers and three bench players. The A’s are unlikely to face another left-handed starting pitcher until next Sunday’s contest in Anaheim against Hector Santiago.
