San Francisco Giants: Andrew Triggs signed in under-the-radar MiLB deal

The San Francisco Giants have looked for low-cost value all season, and that continued with a signing at the end of August that flew under-the-radar.

Starting pitching looks like the biggest question mark for the San Francisco Giants going forward, and right-hander Andrew Triggs could be part of the answer.

With Madison Bumgarner headed for free agency and several young arms still trying to establish themselves at the MLB level, next spring will likely feature an open competition for several rotation spots.

While he doesn’t have a ton of experience at the MLB level, Triggs has made 27 starts in parts of three seasons with the Oakland Athletics.

After not pitching at the MLB level this season, he joined the Giants on a minor league deal on Aug. 30.

So who is Andrew Triggs?

The 30-year-old was a 19th-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2012. He was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles at the start of the 2015 season and claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics at the start of the 2016 campaign.

He made his MLB debut on April 25, 2016, and turned in a strong rookie season, logging a 4.31 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 55 strikeouts in 56.1 innings spanning six starts and 18 relief appearances. His 3.20 FIP painted an even better picture of his performance.

He had a 4.27 ERA in 12 starts during the 2017 season and a 5.23 ERA in nine starts in 2018, before undergoing thoracic outlet surgery.

After just three appearances at the Triple-A level this year, the last of which came on April 10, he was sidelined again and eventually released on Aug. 1.

With team control through the 2022 season and a team-friendly salary, signing Triggs is a no-risk move by the Giants, and team president Farhan Zaidi has hit on plenty of these scrapheap additions in the past.

San Francisco Giants fans will likely get their first look at Andrew Triggs during spring training when he could emerge as a dark horse for a spot on the pitching staff.