Fansided

Each MLB team’s most surprising player from April

By Joshua Sadlock

Apr 3, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (7) hits a double to drive in two runs in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (7) hits a double to drive in two runs in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 23, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Andrew Triggs (60) pitches the ball against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Andrew Triggs (60) pitches the ball against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Oakland Athletics: Andrew Triggs

Entering the 2016 season, Andrew Triggs was a journeyman minor-league reliever who had only one career start to his name. That’s not to say he did not have good numbers in the minor leagues. Triggs saved 17 games in the Baltimore system in 2015 and pitched to a 1.03 ERA in 61.0 innings of work. Unfortunately, a 26-year-old, soft-tossing, right-handed reliever at the Double-A level does not draw many looks from the MLB front office, and the Orioles released Triggs leading up to the 2016 season to make room for Pedro Alvarez.

Having seen what Triggs has done so far this season, that is a move the Orioles would like to have back.

Triggs went 4-1 in April with a 1.84 ERA and allowed only one home run in 29.1 innings for the A’s. He has built upon a nice debut in Oakland last summer where he went 1-1 with a 4.31 ERA in 56.1 innings. Triggs has allowed earned runs in only one of his five starts this year.

The right-hander works with a cutter-slider-sinker mix on the mound, and throws all three pitches in any count. That allows him to keep hitters off balance. Even though he barely touches 90 mph, his deception leads to soft contact at a very high rate, especially on the ground. There is plenty of room for regression with Triggs, but he has been a great story so far this season. He has very little margin for error against big-league hitters, and soft-tossers like him have found early success in their careers before the league wises up to their arsenal. He has also never thrown more than 70 innings in a season, and will be making a massive jump in innings as a full-time starter.

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