Oakland A's recall Daniel Coulombe after Andrew Triggs eats innings in blowout loss to Astros

The Oakland Athletics have recalled left-handed reliever Daniel Coulombe and optioned right-handed reliever Andrew Triggs to Triple-A Nashville. Triggs threw 76 pitches on Friday in four innings of work after taking over for Jesse Hahn with two out in the first inning.

Triggs' pitch count is at least close to a career high for Triggs (low level minor league records are spotty before 2014), through he has thrown four or more innings on at least three other occasions in his professional career. Triggs' heavy lifting allowed the A's to save most of their bullpen for the rest of their series against the Astros.

The A's had called up right-hander J.B. Wendelken as an eighth reliever for the opener, but flight delays prevented him from getting to Minute Maid Park until after Friday's game. Marc Rzepczynski, Fernando Rodriguez, John Axford, and Tyler Ladendorf finished the game.

Daniel Coulombe retired all 11 batters he faced in his last call up. The only earned runs he allowed were three to the Boston Red Sox in his 2016 debut on May 10, bringing his ERA to 4.76. With Triple-A Nashville this season, Coulombe has an 0.45 ERA in 20 innings, striking out 29 and walking three.

There was a chance Coulombe was going to be called up anyway Saturday. He was not eligible to be called up Friday because he had not been on optional assignment to the minor leagues for at least 10 days.