Injuries hit pitching staff

TORONTO — The A’s will have to fill two rotation spots once they return home Tuesday after injuries to Andrew Triggs on Thursday and Brett Anderson on Friday, plus the team needs still more relievers after the bullpen worked another eight innings Friday.

Kendall Graveman, who pitched for Triple- A Nashville on Friday, is a candidate for one spot and Daniel Gossett, scheduled to start for Nashville on Monday, has a good shot at the other. Gossett is pitching particularly well, with a 1.63 ERA.

Reliever Ryan Dull, demoted Friday, could be right back up, because he wasn’t scheduled to leave Toronto until Saturday. Anderson is likely to be placed on the disabled list with a shoulder

strain.

Dull has a 6.30 ERA and .325 opponents batting average in 12 appearances, and he gave up eight hits, two walks and five runs in his past four outings.

“I think he’s pitching a little away from contact,” manager Bob Melvin said. “When he’s at his best, he doesn’t even know who the hitter is, he’s just looking to throw the ball to that spot. He’s maybe just a little off his game right now.”

Dull said that he had mechanical flaws that crept in after he came back from a knee injury last year.

“It’s making sure I’m not bending at the waist — that changes the entire way I throw, where I lean over,” he said. “I have to make sure the line is as straight as I can get. I’ll go down and get back on track.”

After 142⁄ innings from the bullpen in two nights, it’s possible the team will also send out Friday’s hero, Josh Lucas, who will be unavailable for a few days. However, it’s unclear if an extra pitcher could arrive from Oklahoma City, where Nashville is playing, in time for Saturday’s game in Toronto. Frankie Montas is the only other pitcher on the 40- man roster likely for a promotion; Chris Bassitt worked Thursday.

Triggs, who left Thursday’s game in the third with numbness in his right hand, was placed on the 10- day DL and is scheduled for an examination in the Bay Area on Saturday.

Emilio Pagán was called up Friday with Lucas. When he was sent down May 2, Pagán had a 5.93 ERA; at Nashville, he had a 3.00 ERA and struck out 11 and walked none in six innings.