Triggs moves in, then up

DETROIT — Usually, when you’re 27, you’re not altogether thrilled at the prospect of living with your folks.

For reliever Andrew Triggs, going from the Orioles to the A’s this spring meant a substantial savings in rent when he was assigned to Oakland’s Triple-A club. The Nashville native moved back in with his parents, Austin and Betsy, while playing for the Sounds the past month.

“It’s wacky, isn’t it?” said Triggs, who was called up Monday and whose parents are at this series in Detroit. “I was living back home. I signed for $1,000 (out of USC) — I’m not going to spend $1,000 a month in rent if I don’t have to.”

It’s been something of a nomadic life for Triggs lately, so any rent savings make a lot of sense. In the past 13 months, he went from the Royals’ organization to Baltimore to Oakland.

“Have glove, will travel,” he said.

On Monday, he made his big-league debut, and a nice one it was, too. Triggs struck out the first man he faced, Tyler Collins, and worked a 1-2-3 eighth.

“It was pretty thrilling, honestly,” said Triggs, who had the baseballs from his first pitch and the strikeout in his locker. “I don’t know if I have words for it.”

Triggs was added to Oakland’s bullpen at least until the A’s need another starter this week.

He’s essentially a sidearmer, with a low three-quarter delivery. “A little cross-fire, a little funk,” Triggs said.

The A’s demoted Eric Surkamp, who became the team’s fifth starter when Felix Doubront required Tommy John surgery. Surkamp, who allowed six runs in 42⁄3 innings Sunday at Toronto, was 0-2 with a 5.59 ERA in four starts..

Signed as a minor-league free agent last winter, Surkamp , 28, had an opt-out of his contract if not on the 40man roster by June, but he is now on the 40-man. There has been interest in Surkamp from Japanese teams, and the A’s could sell his rights should they choose to do so, but he’s a good option to have at Triple-A.